Abroad
by hundan
Summary: Tony and Ziva are sent to Alaska to help on an investigation with the locals in Anchorage. Without the watchful eye of Gibbs around them it's hard not to get comfortable with your partner.
1. Chapter 1

**This has been my little project for a while now and it just needs some touch ups and bits and pieces but I pretty much have it all laid out. I will have updates every one or two days, depending on when I get time to fix the things that need adjusting. Anyways I hope you enjoy this Fic, I enjoyed writing it.**

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><p>She wasn't sure if she would be able to sleep on this flight. Given the fact the flight was about seven hours long she should probably try to get some rest, but she didn't know if she could. She had never been one to sleep on a plane, she was constantly (especially in her Mossad career) suspicious of all the surrounding people on the plane. She never felt entirely safe to fall asleep and be left unguarded.<p>

However this trip she did have her partner right next to her, but she didn't know if that would make it feel safe for her to sleep knowing his presence was there or the fact he would keep her awake the whole time with his constant babbling. At the moment he was engaged in a conversation with their row partner, an elderly lady. Even at her age of about sixty Tony's charm still worked on her.

She looked sweet enough but Ziva was never one that liked to engage in conversations with strangers where they asked you about your entire life. Ziva's life explanation would most likely give the old woman a heart attack if she was honest about everything. Tony was such the opposite to her, he was so happy to share his life story with anyone who asked, and he loved showing off to the ladies that he was a cop, even if they were sixty.

He was a people person, a very easy person to talk to. She had become more of a people person over the years in America; however she still preferred to keep to herself when complete strangers were involved. It was funny how she and Tony got along so well with these sorts of differences. If she thought about it, they were so different but at the same time they were so alike.

Ziva was looking out the window of the plane as they began to reach the point where the pilots would turn off the seatbelt signal. She could hear the lively discussion next to her as she chose to close her eyes and lean back in the seat.

"So your son lives in Alaska? It makes sense now to why a lovely lady like yourself is traveling all this way" Tony had said to the older woman. She and Tony had been sent up to Alaska to work on a case there that the locals couldn't handle alone. It had become a NCIS matter when the murder victims had all turned out to be marines. A series of marines had been found with their throats slit from ear to ear, hands cut off and body severely beaten. However Vance had only sent Tony and herself as they had an on going case in DC that still needed attention to it and no other teams were available. At Gibbs' permission Vance had briefed the two of them and sent them on the next flight.

"Yes, I have not seen him in a few years and I am getting older, I won't be able to handle these long flights much longer with this old body of mine" the lady pointed out with a small chuckle.

"You're still young Ms White, just look at you, you look fantastic" Tony stated. There he goes again with his charm. She had to hold back the smirk that threatened to escape her lips at the evidence of Tony charming a sixty year old woman. Twenty or eighty, any female would be on the receiving end of it. She was starting to think it was becoming more and more automatic; however she knew it was probably just in his genetics. She knew his father after all.

"Please Anthony, call me Julie. You just make sure you get the best of your life before your years catch up on you like they have me" the old woman replied brightly. It amazed her sometimes how much people share with complete strangers at the convenience of getting a seat next to them on some form of transport.

"I try but you know, it's mainly work, work, work for me" Tony replied and she could hear that big smile in his voice.

"My husband was like that. He enjoyed his work though, it made him happy. However it must be good to be getting away to Alaska, with… is she your girlfriend?" Julie asked. Tony must not have told the old woman that this was not a 'getaway', but _more_ work. She could feel both Tony and Julie's eyes on her, she kept her eyes closed. She wanted to hear how Tony was going to handle the situation.

"Umm no Ziva's not, she's not my girlfriend" he replied and Ziva could hear the awkwardness in his voice as he explained it to the older woman. She had to try hard not to smile.

"Oh sorry dear, you two just seemed like a couple. I mean with the way you were talking before we took off" Julie apologized. Ziva knew she was talking about the conversation she and Tony were having about her 'bad' driving. It was such a couple 'thing' to argue about that she couldn't blame the older woman for thinking they were a couple. Considering they get that comment about being a couple a _lot_. Which Ziva wasn't sure if it worried her or made her laugh more.

"Yeah, people get confused a lot. She's my partner" Tony replied.

"Oh, so you two are married?" the woman asked. Tony chuckled.

"No, no she is my work partner" Tony explained, hoping the woman would understand that he and she were _not _in a relationship of the romantic type.

"Oh I see now. Sorry again, old age doesn't help you understand all these terms the new generation uses these days" Julie replied. After Tony then explained he and Ziva were going to Alaska on work related business Julie had excused herself to use the 'ladies room'.

As soon as she was gone Ziva turned to Tony and laughed.

"Yeah, thanks Ziva, you had to leave me hanging with that one on my own" he stated, he knew she had been awake the whole time but couldn't say anything. If he did Julie would think the two of them were weird if he pointed out she was pretending to sleep just to listen into a conversation, that or Ziva would deny the whole thing and he would look stupid. She was one of the best liars, well to anyone other than him of course, and maybe Gibbs.

"You two seemed to be the best of friends, I didn't want to interrupt" Ziva grinned at him. He just threw her a look that said 'whatever smarty pants'.

She leant over to him slightly.

"Hey, did you bring those earplugs?" she asked in a softer tone. She had stopped joking around with him now.

"Yeah I did, did you want to use them?" he asked, he noticed how close she had managed to get.

"If you do not want to use them?" she replied. He shook his head.

"Na, you can use them. I have a feeling I'll be talking to Julie for a while now" he stated. She could tell he didn't really want to spend the whole seven hours talking to the woman.

"Your fault really, you're the one that used your charm on her" Ziva replied as she reached down for his backpack at his feet to gather the earplugs. Honestly, if he thought about it, the two of them had no real personal space or privacy from each other sometimes. He didn't really mind all that much either.

"I did not" he defended himself. He knew he lied straight though his teeth and the look she gave him then, he wondered how he thought he could even _attempt_ at lying to her.

"Tony you charm every woman you see, whether you know it or not" Ziva smiled as she pulled out his earplugs and put his bag back under the chair in front of his feet. He chuckled and was about to deny that too but thought better of it, she _was_ right. When he looked across at her she had her head leaning against the back of the chair lazily, earplugs already in. She was just about ready to have a rest but he could read in her eyes that silently she was telling him she wanted him to watch over her.

He knew about the worry she had with other people on planes and he would without hesitation watch her back if she wanted to sleep. He placed one of his hands atop of hers that lay on the armrest between them, smiling at her lightly. Silently saying to her he had her back. After that she closed her eyes to sleep, she felt safe because he was there. He is the only one who knows about her problem with sleeping on the plane, he is the only one she has ever willingly told.

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><p>When Tony leant over Ziva and looked out the window with her he was glad he had brought warm clothes. Alaska wasn't the warmest place you can go to and it was heading into winter at the moment. He, being the good partner he was, made sure Ziva had warm clothes with her too, making sure to check what coats she had brought. When he had done it she was slightly confused and maybe thought he was being a bit weird, but now she understood why he had asked. He was making sure she had the right things. He had her back.<p>

Getting through the airport security became a problem. First it was Ziva who got stopped at the airport security, she was asked to step aside. She knew what they were doing and it didn't go well with Ziva. She had argued, explaining she was a federal agent and they had no right to take her weapons from her at the airport, she had the clearance to have them with her. For some reason they still wanted to take her away, and then Tony had stepped in.

He tried to convince them they were both agents and their things didn't need to be taken from them but then he had been taken into custody too. He went quieter then Ziva however. Now they sat in a security room, no bags, no badges, no cell phones, no anything. Ziva sat next to him with her arms crossed on her chest, not very impressed. She caught him smiling at her.

"This isn't funny" she stated, looking over at him. He chuckled lightly.

"Come on Ziva, it sort of is" he stated. He didn't really mind waiting, he found watching Ziva get all frustrated like this was actually entertaining.

"They have no right, we are federal agents. We have the proper credentials and you would think they would know we were coming" she began, he just smiled more.

"I sort of understand why they pulled you aside though, I mean you do-" he was cut off with a smack to the side of his arm.

"Tony" she warned. He was only joking, and she got that, but he could tell she wasn't in the mood to deal with the situation they were in right now. He knew she had been looking forward to a relaxing weekend before they were dragged out on this case on a Friday, and this wasn't the best of starts to a case that had interrupted her weekend. Just then the door to the room opened and one of the security guards that had detained them and another man they hadn't seen before walked in.

The man they hadn't seen before walked over to the table in front of them and gave them both back their badges, weapons and cell phones. He looked about late thirties, maybe about Tony's age, dark brown hair with brown eyes. He was slightly shorter and was a bit heavier looking than Tony.

"Agent DiNozzo, Agent David, I do apologize for the mix up we had, I have sorted it all out, your weapons are fine to come though with no problem" the man began and both Tony and Ziva stood up.

"Detective Scott Edwards" he said holding out his hand to Tony. Detective Scott Edwards was the head Anchorage cop on the case they were up here to work. Tony shook his hand back.

"Special Agent Anthony DiNozzo, good to meet you" Tony replied. Edwards turned to Ziva and shook her hand too.

"Special Agent Ziva David" she stated, she still wasn't in the best of moods. Tony could tell.

"How about we get out of here?" Edwards instructed. Tony nodded and Ziva just walked out, she couldn't wait to get out of this airport. When Edwards looked at Tony in wonder to Ziva's action Tony simply replied.

"She doesn't like being held in custody, getting her weapons taken from her, told what she can or can't do and she definitely doesn't like airports, but you get used to it" he smirked.

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><p>When they had walked out of the airport both of them had put their coats on, it definitely was cold when you got outside. Edwards put their stuff in the trunk of his car and they all jumped in the car, hoping to warm up with the car heating. Tony sat in the front with Edwards while Ziva sat in the back.<p>

"Your Agent McGee booked you two into the Kings Cross hotel, I recommended it to him, it's a nice place. And so I'll take you guys there later but we'll head down to the station first, I've got all the stuff set up down there to fill you two in on the case" Edwards explained. Tony and Ziva had been briefly read into the case but Edwards would take them into detail. Tony nodded at Edwards.

"So, does it ever warm up here?" Tony asked. Edwards chuckled.

"It's fine in the summer but it would still be cold to the sort of summer you would be used to. We haven't had it too bad yet, it's not quite winter but we are expecting it to start to get colder" Edwards explained.

"Do you think it will snow while we are here?" Ziva suddenly asked from the backseat. Tony smiled, she seemed like she had gotten over her sulking about being held in custody by airport security. Edwards looked back at her through the revision mirror.

"Most likely. I'm not sure how long you guys are going to be here but I don't doubt you won't get any while you're here" he stated. Tony didn't know how long they would be staying here; he did know one thing though.

"I would say we're up here until we solve this thing and the boss is happy" Tony said. Taking a glance back to Ziva Tony knew he was right with his assumption, her face was one of agreement.

"You guys have one of _those_ bosses then?" Edwards asked. Tony knew he meant the type of boss that would stay on task until case was solved and he was fully satisfied that all the evidence was good and the suspects had been brought to justice.

"Yeah" Tony chuckled "What about you?" Tony asked him.

"Yep" Edwards said at length. He turned and gave Tony a smile. Tony had started to like this guy, he seemed pretty alright so far. Tony got his phone out.

"Speaking of bosses, I better let my boss know what's going on" Tony stated before calling Gibbs.

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><p>When they arrived at the police station Edwards had taken them to an office room that was set up with a white board that had notes and photos on it. There was a large table in the middle of the room that had files and papers across it and there was another detective sitting in the room. He stood up when they all entered.<p>

This guy had dark blonde hair and blue eyes, he was also slightly shorter but was a bit slimmer than Tony and looked to have a nice muscular build to him. He looked to be about late twenties, early thirties.

"This is my partner James Evans" Edwards announced. Evans held out his hand to Ziva.

"Ziva David, nice to meet you" Ziva stated as she shook his hand. Tony noticed how this Evans guy gave Ziva a smile, a flirty sort of smile. Tony didn't like that, he wasn't going to have this guy hit on Ziva. Ziva seemed to smile back in the same way though, he didn't like that either. Ziva stepped back and Tony stood up a bit straighter as he shook the man's hand, not so lightly.

"Special Agent Anthony DiNozzo" Tony introduced himself. When Evans pulled his hand back he flexed it slightly, Tony had made sure to make an impression on this guy.

"Nice to meet you both" Evans replied. Tony gave him a short nod while Ziva gave him a smile. Evans took his seat back at the table behind the papers he was looking at. After the introductions were all given they all took a seat around the table and went over the case, going through known associates with the dead marines, people who have possible involvement in the case, motives for the murders.

It was just after ten at night when they had finished going over the case details. Evans and Ziva had gone down to one of the local takeout places and picked up some Chinese for dinner. When they got back Tony noticed the smiles and laughs between the two. He wasn't jealous he was just keeping an eye on the two. Heck, maybe he was jealous, but at the same time he was still just making sure Ziva wasn't going to make a stupid mistake by sleeping with a guy they hardly knew yet. She wasn't like that anymore.

However Ziva had pulled her chair over next to his and he was thankful she sat next to him instead of this Evans guy. She pulled one of the Chinese containers out of the bag and handed it to Tony.

"I got your favourite, beef with cashew nuts" she stated with a smile. He loved those sorts of smiles, the ones that made her eyes twinkle in that special way. He leant slightly closer to her.

"Extra cashews?" he asked.

"Extra, extra cashews" she replied. He chuckled slightly and nudged her arm with his softly.

"You know me too well" he smiled and opened his meal to find lots of nuts in there. Perfect, just how he loved it. After scooping the much needed food into his mouth he looked up to see Evans looking at him, watching him. When Evans saw Tony catch him looking he tried to make it look as though he wasn't watching. Tony knew he was though.

"So, how long have you two been working together?" Edwards asked as he opened his own dinner. Tony swallowed his mouthful.

"About six years now, how about you two?" he asked. He leant over to Ziva next to him and put his fork in her container and got out a piece of chicken, she seemed unfazed by the movement, like it was a natural occurrence. Tony caught Evans watching again out of the corner of his eye.

"It's our third year this year. You two have been working together a while then, huh?" Edwards said as he watched Tony eat his partners chicken. Tony just nodded.

"You must know each other pretty well" Evans put in. Tony could tell he was digging for something.

"Yes, Tony is very predictable to me" Ziva stated, smiling as she reached over and stole a few of Tony's cashew nuts out of his container. Evans was looking at Tony and Tony just gave him a wink. Messing with him.

"Do you two go out or something?" Evans found himself blurting out. Edwards looked across to his partner and smacked him in the arm. Ziva froze mid dig in Tony's container.

"No, we don't" Ziva assured him. Tony nodded in agreement with Ziva.

"Just friends" Tony then added. Evans nodded, unsure if he should believe them though. Edwards just chuckled slightly at the whole awkward question that had come out.

"So, I was thinking that tomorrow we could head down to the base we have here and ask around about the marines" Edwards said, changing the subject.

"Yeah, I was thinking that too" Tony pointed out as he took another large mouthful of food. Ziva pulled a face at him.

"Tony could you take any larger mouthfuls?" she asked. He scrunched his face slightly.

"I guess I could if you want" Tony said with a mouthful of food. Ziva rolled her eyes.

"I think she was being sarcastic" Evans pointed out. If they knew each other so well how did he not know she was being sarcastic?

"He knows. He's just being smart" Ziva assured Evans. The smile on Tony's face told Evans that he was in fact just being smart. Maybe they did know each other as well as they say.

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><p><strong>So…how does it look so far?<strong>

**Hundan**


	2. Chapter 2

**Wow, I'm absolutely ecstatic at how many of enjoyed this so much! Thank you all for the wonderful reviews and story favourites/alerts I received! I was meant to have this chapter up yesterday but had a friend around so I did not get time to proof read and fix the chapter. But now I have and I hope that you all enjoy!**

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><p>Tony was glad to find that McGee had booked them a hotel room with two beds in it this time. Not that he didn't want to share with Ziva, he actually preferred it, but he didn't want such a temptation there. He didn't want to cross any boundaries. Paris had proved to him that holding her like he had in the bed they shared together that night was something he really, really enjoyed. He wasn't meant to enjoy such an intimate thing with his partner.<p>

Sure he wasn't _meant _to feel such things about his partner but he _does_. He can feel the spark there between them and he knows that she feels it too, they both have felt it there for the past six years but they have both ignored it. It was easier that way. It used to be more of a flirty spark between them but now, now it was something more meaningful between them. They cared. Things ran deep.

Ziva was one of his best friends and he loved hanging out with her. She wasn't like a lot of other women, she enjoyed doing much of the same things that his guy friends would. Sometimes she would come over to his with a six pack of beer and they would watch baseball together. Sometimes football and ice hockey because they were violent and she got a good laugh out of those, but her favourite was baseball. They had baseball in Israel and it was something she had grown up watching.

And she was so easy for him to be around, he was always himself around her. He didn't have to pretend to be someone different, she knew him, through and through. All they have been through together and all their history, they were close. They got along without even trying that hard. All the tough times they had been through had, in the end, only made their partnership, and friendship, stronger.

The smell that just escaped from the bathroom as she opened the door after her shower was honestly desirable. The smell of her vanilla scented shampoo that she always used filled into the hotel room with the warm steamy air that escaped the previously sealed door. He loved the smell of her shampoo mixed with that sent that was just purely her. It was enough to make him distracted.

"Better?" he asked with a grin. She had complained that she needed a nice hot shower with this cold weather here. It was affecting her more than it was him. She was a warm weather person. He had gone for a quick shower before her, complaining himself that he didn't want her to use all the warm water before he got a shower. She had agreed, only knowing that she could have a shower for as long as she liked now that she didn't need to spare him any hot water tonight.

"Much better" she smiled back as she walked over to her bag and packed away the clothes she had been wearing. He didn't know how warm she was going to be if she stayed in sweatpants and a t-shirt. The shirt didn't look so warm. He had gone with wearing a hoddie, they always kept him warm on a chilly night and they were comfortable enough to sleep in if you wanted.

"Did you want some tea?" he asked her. He was about to make himself a tea. Somehow she had managed to rub off on him, he normally had a tea at night now and he never used to, it used to be coffee. Not enough caffeine to keep him up all night but enough to keep him relaxed and awake until he went to sleep. He knew it had come from her. Why? Because if he was ever at hers at night she would not let him have a coffee if it was too late, he would only be allowed a tea.

Simply because she knew him and if he had coffee too late he would struggle to sleep. He hadn't even noticed it until she had solved his problem by giving him tea.

"Yes, that would be nice, thank you" she replied and he walked over to the small kitchen they had to the far side of the room. It had a small refrigerator, microwave, kettle, some mugs, plates and utensils. Their room had two double sized beds with a bedside table between them on one side of the room, the other side had a small couch with a television on the wall in front. They also had a small kitchen with a small table that had three chairs with it.

The bathroom was just to the side of the beds in separate room and it had a bathtub, toilet, shower and a basin. They really had everything in this hotel room, and Tony was sure he hadn't stayed in a hotel room that had this much inside. He normally didn't see hotel rooms with a small kitchen in them like this room did. He liked it though, it was more home like, it had everything you would need.

He got out two mugs while he put the kettle on. As he did he watched Ziva as she got her hair brush out of her bag and sat on the edge of her bed and gently ran it through her wet hair. She caught him staring and smiled. She didn't seem to mind when he watched her, she normally would just give him that same little smile that she was now and just watch him back. He returned her smile before turning his attention back to making the drinks.

Once he had finished making the drinks he walked them back across the room and sat them both down on the bedside table between their beds. Ziva had gotten her book out of her bag and positioned herself sitting against the headboard of her bed comfortably. She looked so relaxed and free. He loved seeing Ziva like this, outside of work, so carefree.

"Thank you" she smiled at him as she picked up her drink and took a sip, sighing in content of the warm liquid. He knew what she had needed.

"You're welcome" he replied and sat down on the edge of his bed facing her bed, picking up his own drink and cradling it in his hands after taking a sip. Yeah, that's what he had really needed too, a nice warm drink. She had her knees pulled up in front of her and rested her book on her knees with one hand and her drink sat between her body and her legs on her stomach in the other hand.

She began to read her book again and he just sat there and watched her as she pulled herself back into the book and her eyes skimmed the pages one by one. The way she used one hand to turn the page was beyond him, he saw her do it but he didn't think he could do it if he attempted it. All the while she slowly took a drink every now and then from her tea. She had turned four pages before she stopped reading and turned her head to the side and faced him.

"Tony" she said softly, she was smiling at him. He didn't know what it was but at night in moments like this, there always seemed to be a lot of smiles that went between them.

"Yes Ziva?" he replied. He tried to keep the grin off his face, however she could hear the grin in his words alone.

"What are you doing?" she asked, dropping her hand that held her book to the bed next to her as she lifted an eyebrow at him, she was sure he was up to _something_, she was suspicious now.

"Well I was watching you read" he replied casually, stating what he thought was the obvious. She laughed softly and let go of her book all together as she turned towards him more.

"You know there is a television in this hotel room if you want to watch something" she said, pointing across the room at the object to add to her point.

"Yeah I know that" he replied, hiding his grin behind his mug this time.

"I am sure they have movies you can order" she then added. He could tell she wasn't trying to get him out of her space, she was simply testing him on something, what of he wasn't sure. He shook his head.

"You remember what happened last time I ordered a movie while work was paying?" he asked. When she laughed he guessed she did.

"Yes. How many times was it that Gibbs slapped the back of your head for not doing work related things while out on work related business? Two? Three?" she questioned. He couldn't help but laugh along with her. For some reason Gibbs seemed to think they had to do everything, even up to dreaming, about work when they were staying somewhere on work related cases.

"Two" Tony recollected.

"Not so bad then" Ziva replied, she knew her answer would irk him and he would complain about how she was wrong.

"Not so bad? Are you kidding? I am sure my hair is thinning in that spot from the constant slaps I get, and I do _not _want to go bald" he exclaimed. Yep, she was right. There he goes with complaining about his _thinning _hair again.

"Tony we have been through this, you are not thinning, I checked last time remember?" she pointed out. He had actually made her physically look at the spot at the back of his head where he always got slapped, he stated it was thinning, she had observed it and came back with the conclusion that he was either hallucinating or he was going mad.

He still had all his hair in tact on the back of his head. He just refused to believe the evidence, which was strange considering he follows evidence everyday. She just knew he was obsessed with his hair and that one of his worst nightmares was to lose those sandy brown locks.

"I guess" he huffed in reply. And she did see that smile that crept its way onto his face. He wouldn't argue with her when he knew deep down her point was valid.

"Anyways, are you still just going to sit there and watch me or are you going to do something productive?" she asked, going back to the original question.

"It's too late to be productive. I think I might just sit here" he explained as he moved on the bed and leant against the headboard and closed his eyes as he let his head fall back. After she didn't reply he popped one eye open and looked at her. She sat there smiling at him. He opened both eyes and faced her.

"What?" he chuckled. She shook her head and laughed slightly before picking her book back up to read from it again. She read about two lines before speaking.

"We are either going to have to find a bookstore or a movie store tomorrow night to keep you occupied" she stated, not taking her eyes off the page but again she smiled.

"So you're not coming out with me tomorrow night then?" he asked, grinning, just waiting for her to put her book down and look at him again. And she did, she was so predictable.

"We are going out tomorrow night?" she questioned, intrigued by the unofficial plans he just came up with two seconds ago.

"Yes we are, I was thinking of going out for dinner somewhere" he explained. It sounded like a good idea but she wanted to push his buttons that little bit more. She shrugged and picked her book back up.

"If I am not already busy I will join you" she stated not looking at him. How could she be busy? What else was she going to do?

"Busy doing what?" he asked.

"I may already have plans with James" she replied. His heart dropped, really Evans? And since when did they call work associates by their first names when they hardly knew them? Then he had seen that grin burst across her face and his heart felt a little bit safer. She was joking. She had caught _him _being jealous, she had seen him watching Evans.

"Not your type" he replied, smiling as she yet again dropped her book to look at him and raise an eyebrow in his direction.

"How would you know what my type is?" she questioned. She held back that smile that wanted to come out again. He shrugged.

"You prefer older men if I recall correctly" he stated. And yes, that had brought a little snort out of her followed by a soft laugh. She didn't reply to his question though, she left him wondering as she picked her book back up. He could tell she remembered when she had told him that little secret of hers, he had actually liked that secret, considering he was considered as a man of that _category._ However he would never call himself old, not in this lifetime. He wasn't old, his age was just _higher_ than hers.

He gave her about two minutes before he spoke up again.

"What's your book about?" he asked. This time she had sighed then shut her book and placed it on the bedside table with her mug. He knew she was giving up on her book now.

"You're not going to leave me alone are you?" she asked. She wasn't actually mad, he knew. He pretended to think about it for a moment.

"Hmm… no" he smiled. She shook her head with another smile before climbing off her bed and gathering hers and his empty mugs and taking them back across the room and placing them in the sink. On her way back to the beds she stopped at the room's heater and tried turning it up to a higher temperature, which it wouldn't because it was already on high.

"You cold?" he asked as she went back to her bed and climbed under the covers.

"It is a bit colder than I am used to" was her reply, not fully admitting she was cold but enough of a confession for him to understand she was.

"Did you not bring a sweater or something?" he asked as he climbed under his own covers. She shook her head.

"Only coats. I forgot my sweater, I had it ready to go in my bag but I must not have put it in" she explained.

"Do you want my hoddie?" he asked, sitting up and he began to take it off. Before she could answer him the clothing in question was thrown across to her and landed on her bed. She picked it up.

"Tony, I cannot take it, you will get cold" she stated. It wasn't like this wasn't normal, she borrowed his hoddie's all the time, she had also stolen one or two that he either didn't realize were missing or chose to ignore the fact she had stolen them.

"No, its ok, remember I have more meat on me than you Zi" he replied, patting his tummy with a grin. She chuckled lightly and pulled the hoddie over her head. It was warm as it settled around her, it had his warmth. His smell. There was something about his smell that always made her distracted.

He watched as she lay back down under her covers and pulled them tight around her as she tried to keep all the warmth trapped in the sheets. He lay back down also, looking at her as she looked at him.

"Warm now?" he asked. She nodded.

"Yes, that is better, thank you" she replied. A content smile on her lips.

"I'll see you in the morning then?" he asked. He was a bit tired from the jetlag today and he could also see Ziva's eyes begin to droop slightly. They would both need their rest for tomorrow.

"Yes. Goodnight Tony" she replied, snuggling deeper into her bed as she closed her eyes.

"Night Ziva" Tony whispered as he watched her fall into a peaceful sleep. She had that carefree relaxed look on her face again. Falling asleep to the sight of her like that was sure to bring him peaceful dreams.

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><p><strong>I know, I know, I didn't do the one bed situation like FanFiction stories seem to always have, I wanted to do something different rather then the same thing that always happens :) <strong>

**I will try to have the next chapter up tomorrow but I have a busy day so we will see! **

**Hundan**


	3. Chapter 3

**Thank you all for the great feedback on the last chapter. Sorry for the short wait on this one, I got busy.**

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><p>She could hear her name being called out softly and it pulled her from her peaceful slumber. She blinked her eyes a few times and sat up to see it was Tony who was calling her name out. He stood in front of the couch in his boxer shorts, socks and dress shirt as he ironed his pants on an ironing board. She chuckled lightly at the sight. He was just beaming with a grin.<p>

"Ziva you need to get up now, I let you sleep in" he replied as he watched her stretch her arms. She looked to the clock, it was half past seven. She normally didn't sleep that long when she has to work but the cold weather had always affected her sleep. She nodded towards him and climbed out from under her warm sheets.

"There's breakfast on the bench, I got you a bagel and tea" he stated, pointing to where a brown paper bag sat on the bench next to a coffee cup. She smiled at him. Lately, and even more so when they are alone, he was so wonderful to her. He was just so adorable when he was generous like this. She walked over to him where he was ironing.

"Thank you Tony" she said quietly. She stood closer to him and he watched as she did. He put the iron down and turned towards her. She smiled up at him as she placed one hand on his cheek and leant up and lightly kissed his other cheek. His heart fluttered in his chest as she stepped back.

She had done it a few times, to thank him when he would do something special for her, when he treated her with care. He smirked as she turned and walked over to retrieve the breakfast he had got her. He loved it when she was affectionate like that with him. It just showed him how much they could really have if they would ever do something more about that connection they had.

"You're welcome" he replied as she took a bite of her bagel and the look on her face showed she liked it very much. She smiled at him.

"When did you manage to get this?" she asked before taking a drink of her tea, which was perfectly how she liked it. She was leaning against the bench and watching him iron his pants.

"I went down to go get an iron from the front desk and decided to go across the street to get some breakfast while I was down there" he shrugged. He turned his pants over and started on the other leg.

"It was very generous of you Tony. Buying me breakfast Monday and again today, someone might say I am being spoiled" she smirked. He gave a casual shrug back.

"What are partners for if not to make sure their partner eats properly? I know if you don't have time to make breakfast you won't have any. And you got to have breakfast, it's the most important meal of the day" he smiled. She chuckled slightly to herself, the amount of times he reminds her that she should eat breakfast. She used to just skip it out if she was in a rush and he would always notice when she had missed it. Maybe because she would work slower or something, but he always noticed. He always noticed the little things.

"Where would I be without your nutritional knowledge?" she replied, taking the last bite of her bagel. It had actually been very satisfying.

"Definitely in some serious trouble" he replied, pretending to be serious. She just chuckled again.

"Lucky I have you there then, huh?" she said as she headed back across the room to her bag, trailing her hand across his shoulder as she walked passed. A shiver spread down his spine at the touch.

"Very lucky" he smirked as he grabbed his nice straight pants and pulled them on. She was sure he spent more money on clothes then she did. However he looked great in his suit all pressed out to perfection with his different little ties. She has seen his tie collection and it is one of the biggest she has ever seen. She wouldn't say it was a bad thing he always dressed fantastic like he did, she found him very handsome when he dressed up like that.

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><p>"Well that wasn't much help" Tony stated as the four investigators walked back out to the car. They had spent a good half of the morning interviewing marines in the small marine unit on the Elmendorf-Richardson Air ForceArmy base here in Anchorage. They had come up with nothing that really helped their case, just how the two marines that had been murdered so far were your average marine, nothing that stood out making them different.

"Yeah, well it was worth a shot. I have a feeling the person we are looking for has nothing to do with the forces. A civilian who has a problem or past event which has them taking out their destruction on these marines" Edwards explained as they each climbed in the car. Edwards had a degree in psychology so he was good at reading people. The fact Ziva had ended up in the backseat with Evans did play on Tony's nerves a bit. Even though that discussion they had sort of had last night when Ziva joked with him about going out with Evans tonight, Tony was still watchful of the two of them.

His initial thought was that Ziva had no interest in Evans, however by the way they had been talking when Tony had seen them, the vibe Tony got from them was very flirty. Ziva hadn't actually said to Tony that she _wasn't _interested in Evans, he just had the smirk she had given him as evidence that she didn't like him. Tony wasn't going to leave it just to a look as an answer.

"We could check out the woman that one of the marines had mentioned, the one who Corporal Graham had been seen with" Ziva spoke up from the backseat as they headed out onto the road again. It was very cold out today. Ziva had felt the bite of the weather for the whole day, since they had first stepped out of the hotel in the morning.

"Ok. You and Evans can head over and ask her some questions. Tony has a hunch about a bar some of the marines like to go to so we'll check that out" Edwards replied. And again Ziva was getting pared with Evans, Tony didn't like that. Wasn't she meant to be _his _partner? He would just have to get over it. He was working with Edwards because they were both the senior agent/detective. He needed to start acting like he was in charge, not be worrying about who his partner was currently partnered with.

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><p>The bar had been suspicious but they came up with nothing that was hinky enough to help their case. Ziva's hunch however had come up with more than planned. Apparently the woman had seen Graham an hour before the Corporal was murdered and she had been taken in for more questioning about the last things she remembered. They had worked on clues and putting the small amounts of evidence together as much as they could until about eight that evening when Tony and Edwards had decided to call it a night.<p>

They were just packing up their things at the office when Tony watched Evans talking to Ziva. It was fairly obvious that he was flirting with her right now, the way he was looking at her, his chest puffed out and that flirtatious grin on his face. He leant in slightly closer to her and asked her something. Tony couldn't hear what he said from his side of the room but he watched Ziva reply and lightly tap Evans on the chest as she smiled at him before walking away from the conversation.

It looked as though Ziva had blew him off but there was still a, very small, hint of joy in the mans face that suggested maybe she had promised him something another time to what he was asking. Then Evans turned his gaze to Tony. It was slightly intimidating the way the younger man was looking at him but Tony wasn't phased by it. Evans was jealous of Tony somehow and he wondered what Ziva had said to him. It was most likely about him for Evans to be looking at him like that.

Then Ziva walked over to him with a smile.

"Shall we head to that dinner then?" Ziva asked him and he smiled. He knew what Ziva had just said to Evans, she had totally blown Evans off to come to dinner with him.

"Sure thing" Tony stated and he did catch Evans watching them again before they left and bided the detective's goodnight.

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><p>They had gone to the restaurant a few blocks from their hotel. It was simple but still had a nice and relaxing mood for after work. It wasn't fancy enough to be a date but just right for what they wanted, friendly. However their discussion, the looks they shared across the table and the way they just always acted around each other like this seem much more than friendly. If you were to sit at the table next to them you would believe they were on a date. But they weren't. They had never been on a date before. <em>Never date a co-worker. <em>

Not that Tony thought or would think about Gibbs' rule twelve if anything was to head into dating territory between him and Ziva. That rule would take a backseat as their relationship took the front seat. Ziva was much more important to him then a _rule_ and it's not like he hasn't broken Gibbs' rules before. He had already had a lecture on rule twelve so what would a second one even accomplish, he obviously wasn't listening. But hey, he was told once that a high percentage of people find their spouse at work. Gibbs had only put that rule there because of his downfall with Jenny.

Ziva was watching him right now as he ate his beautifully cooked steak. She had something on her mind and it was somehow about him by that look on her face, and she was just about to ask him about that _something_.

"If I ask you why you have been watching James and I all day with that _look_ on your face will you deny it or be honest?" she asked. Going back to her dinner as she let him decide. He knew what she meant by 'look', he knew what look she meant. The jealous one. The over protective one.

They just didn't use the word 'jealous' anymore because they both knew there would be no denying they were jealous if the other asked them if they were. Tony had almost let it slip that he was in fact jealous last time Ziva has asked him if he was jealous. They couldn't have that. They just didn't discuss feelings very well. They were both bad at that and they were fine with where they were. At the moment.

"I'm just trying to figure out what you see in him" Tony stated, adding a smile to make this conversation light and playful. She smiled back which was a good sign.

"Well he is nice and we get along, and he is attractive" Ziva smiled this time. Knowing that the last part was going to irk Tony somewhat. Tony pulled a face.

"He's not that good looking" Tony replied. Ziva didn't miss the way Tony sat up a little straighter in his chair. She knew Tony well, he considered Evans as competition even though there was no actual competition going on and she was _not _the prize. He just always had this way of trying to show up other males when they would put the moves on her. And honestly she actually found it adorable sometimes.

"Is that coming from your personal opinion?" Ziva asked and again Tony screwed up his face at Ziva's implications.

"No, I'm just saying. And anyways he's too obvious when he flirts with you, he's not looking for anything more than to sleep with you" Tony then stated.

"Now that is from your personal opinion" she replied. A statement and not a question this time. He knew she was right and he couldn't deny it but he was so over _that _Tony. This new Tony wanted more in life. He wanted things that were more permanent, not just one night stands.

"Yes. I know what he wants from you" Tony stated. Now they had gotten themselves in a personal conversation. Ziva looked at Tony for a moment, going over his words before she spoke.

"So, you do not think I should go out to dinner with James?" she asked. She was serious. She wanted to know what he really thought. He looked up at her and stopped eating his dinner for a moment as he just looked into those deep brown orbs of hers. Wondering what he should really say to her. Was he meant to tell her that she shouldn't because he wanted to go to dinner with her again instead? That he didn't want her to sleep with Evans if he couldn't? No, that was selfish. She wasn't _his_.

"You can go to dinner with Evans. I just don't want you making any mistakes. I know you're not the type of woman you used to be with your dating. But really who am I to tell you what to do, huh?" he stated, smiling across at her to lighten the heaviness of his answer. He really did know who she was and there was no denying it after that response. It was obvious to her now that Tony didn't really want her to go out with Evans. Tony had never been very good with his jealously. She pondered that for a moment before replying.

"I may go with him to dinner tomorrow night, just to dinner. I will be returning to the hotel, to _my _bed" she replied. Assuring him there was nothing more than simple dinner behind her co-worker relationship with James. Tony was silent for a moment. She knew he felt slightly guilty, like he had made her feel like she had to be back at the hotel tomorrow night. She reached across the table and placed her hand on his gently.

"I _never_ had any intention of anything more than dinner with James" she told him. Tony then heard it, the truth straight from Ziva's mouth. She wasn't actually interested in Evans. Just being friendly. Tony nodded but then the subject was suddenly dropped when he smiled and leant over the table with his fork and snatched some of her beef that he had been dying to taste. She had just smiled back and taken some of his food. She knew that their conversation had finished and that this was just one way at how _they _got out of a sticky conversation. A random distraction. Just like stealing your partner's dinner.

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><p>He had just paid for the dinner and then she had headed off to the bathroom before they left but when she returned to the foyer of the restaurant he wasn't there. He had disappeared. Had he just gone and ditched her? No, he wouldn't do that. And then she was relived when the waitress had told her he had gotten a call and taken it outside. It must have been important for him to take it outside, it wasn't too loud in the restaurant.<p>

She walked out and the cold breeze hit her almost right away. It was lightly snowing out tonight also. She could see him standing by the brick walled building next to the restaurant, his warm breath fogging in the cold air with every word he spoke into the phone. She could see he was frustrated with whoever was on the other end of the phone by the way his brow furrowed together and the way he ran an irritated hand through his hair.

She wasn't sure if she should approach him, interrupt his conversation. It could be Gibbs yes, but it could also be someone calling for more personal matters. They had called Gibbs after work tonight so it was likely it wasn't him. Just then he felt her presence and as though he read her mind he looked up and met her gaze. All of the different swirling emotions in his eyes were there but she could see that within that he was sending her a message. That he needed her.

She walked over quietly until she stood right in front of him. She could hear the conversation now.

"You really have to stop this… I cannot keep helping you if you're just going to do the same thing over and over again Dad" Tony stated into the phone. So this was a personal call, to his father. And it didn't look good. He looked down at her and stared into her eyes, knowing she was close like this helped. He knew she was _there_. That someone was there for him if he needed. She watched him sigh into the phone at the reply.

"You have to stop spending like you do, ok? No more fancy hotels with expensive alcohol and meals. And you have to stop your expensive shopping. You're my father and I will always help you but this is the second time I've had to fork out my own money to keep you out of dept" Tony explained. Ziva realized what this was about now. His father had money troubles, and not the first time either. And Tony, he was the one who was helping his dad to stay on his feet by giving him some of his own money. Ziva hadn't realized how much Tony had been doing for his dad until now. When he met her eyes she noticed that this was hard for him. That he was struggling with his dad's problems.

"Dad I love you but I cannot keep doing this for you. I…I can't give you a third chance after this one" Tony almost whispered. She noticed him shaking slightly and she wasn't sure if it was from the cold or the fact he was struggling emotionally. She would guess it was the cold and the emotions were just not helping his case. She decided then that whether or not he wanted it she was going to try and help, in at least one way.

His coat and jacket were hanging open in front of her and when he met her eyes again she gently slipped her hands inside his jacket, onto his shirt covered waist. And he was cold, quite cold in fact. She stepped in closer and brought her body to his as she watched him. There was a small flicker in his eyes then, he was thankful for her embrace.

The one free hand he had found its way inside her coat also and pulled her that much closer. She was still warm, and her warmth was helping. She broke her gaze from his as his hand ran gently across her back and she rested her head against his chest while she pulled her arms around him a bit more.

"Have you thought about getting help? Maybe see a therapist or something?" Tony asked his father. Ziva knew it would be hard to suggest something like that to your father, it meant they were really getting bad. But she also knew Tony wanted the best for his father and that he couldn't keep using all his money on his father if his dad wasn't changing his money abusive ways. She ran her hands gently across his back and she actually felt him relax slightly at the touch.

"No Dad it's not stupid. It's not a waste, it really helps. Trust me, I have…I have been to see a therapist" Tony admitted. She knew he had been. He had told her once, about how he had suffered from some emotional things in the past. He hadn't told her what exactly though, he would always avoid her eyes but she had never pushed him on it. Gibbs knew too, not that Tony knew that. And the one reason she hadn't pushed Tony on why he went because one time she had asked Gibbs about it and got an answer.

He had told her one thing. That Tony had taken it harder then the rest of them when they had thought she had died, things had turned dark in him. He was drinking a lot and struggling with his emotions really bad. He had had it tough when he thought she was _never_ coming back to him. It just showed her how much he truly cared for her. How much it had hurt him when she was taken from him. He couldn't live without her. She would always remember the day he had told her that.

She felt Tony sigh.

"Dad, it's hard to explain over the phone…no I…" Tony probably wished he could be with his dad in person right now but they were so far away from where his dad lived in New York.

"I just had some problems a little while back. Things with work got a little stressful and my life was complicated. It helped, it really did" Tony explained to his dad. Tony relaxed in her arms again and she guessed whatever his dad had said in reply had been good. He shifted a little and she was even closer to him. The heat shared between them was so warm right now.

"Ok Dad. I'll sort it out when I get back to DC. I'm away on a case at the moment. But you'll think about it right?" Tony asked his dad. She could tell he really wanted his dad to think about seeing a therapist. Even she had seen one, and it had helped her. It had helped her immensely with what had happened in Somalia. Tony knew she had seen one too. He was the one who had recommended it after she had called him in the middle of the night, needing company after she had had a nightmare.

They had discussed brief things on what happened in Somalia, nothing very bad though. And he didn't push her on it, and eventually she had moved passed the experience. She had long moved on from her time in that desert cell. It had been hard to revisit everything with the therapist but in the end it was good because she was able to let go.

"Thank you Dad. You take care ok? See you" Tony replied before he closed his phone. He didn't say anything to her, he just placed his phone away in his pocket and slipped his other hand under her coat. It was cold in its touch, even through her clothes, but she didn't mind too much.

He gave her a gentle squeeze closer to him and his head dropped to her shoulder as he let out a deep uneasy breath. She held him tighter and she moved her face from his chest and up a bit higher, resting her forehead against his neck.

"You ok?" she whispered. She felt him nod and he leant back, she did too, meeting his eyes. However they still held each other close, not losing that distance between their bodies at all.

"Yeah, thank you" he whispered in reply. He really was grateful that she had his back, that she was there for him when he needed it the most. If he needed a hug, someone to hold onto, she would never fail to provide that for him. And he for her. She knew he didn't really want to talk about it, she had heard enough to know what was going on and he knew that so she left it at that. She wasn't going to push him on it.

He was the first to step back. He gave her a gentle smile before releasing her from his grip. They both felt that rapid loss of heat almost immediately as the cold air slipped between them. However he didn't get too far from her, he moved one of his arms around her shoulders and pulled her into his side. Still giving them that heat from the close contact. The feeling for him to have her there, next to him, was comforting. It helped. She didn't mind one bit, she leant right into his side. She liked this. Them like this.

"Thank you for dinner" she said as they began walking back to the hotel.

"You are welcome" he replied, smiling down at her as she looked up at him. Yep, she really liked this. But she knows she shouldn't get used to it.

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><p><strong>Bit of a small twist in there :) I really liked writing this chapter, I hope you liked it too.<strong>

**Hundan**


	4. Chapter 4

**You are all continuing to amaze me at how much you like this :) I am glad you are. Here is the next chapter!**

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><p>They arrived back at the hotel a little bit later, both cold from the outside temperature that continued to drop by the minute. Tony, being the gentleman on this occasion, let her have a warm shower first while he turned on their heating and waited for his round in the shower. He was happy that she decided not to take all the time in the world tonight and was out in good time for him to have his turn.<p>

He had his shower and was standing at the basin with just his sweatpants on and was just about to start shaving when he heard a knock on the bathroom door. Ziva being Ziva would know he had been out of the shower for a bit now so he wondered what she wanted.

"Yeah?" he asked.

"I need to get the hairdryer" was her reply. He was a man that knew a thing or two about women and their hair and all that, and he knew that tonight being colder like it was, Ziva wouldn't want to be hanging around with cold wet hair all night. Hence the need for the contraption which dried those beautifully long curls of hers.

"You can come in, I'm just shaving" he called back through the door. In the next second the door was opening and all the steam was escaping. It was actually a good thing, it meant he would be able to see easier. She stepped in and stopped for a second, taking in the fact he only stood there in his sweatpants. He watched her eyes flutter over his body but when they reached his eyes with a small smile on her lips she continued her task of finding the hairdryer.

As he applied shaving cream to his face he watched her open one of the cupboards under the basin and pull out what she had been looking for.

"Is it ok if I do it in here?" she asked him. Another thing he knew was women loved their mirrors when they did their hair. Yes, Ziva may not be like most women but at the end of the day she was still one, and she did dress up in pretty dresses. Occasionally. You were a lucky man if you got to see her all done up and fantastic, he was very lucky to have seen it at a few opportunities in the time he has been her partner.

He has also noticed that she has changed a small amount since she first came here. Sure she still wears her cargo pants, she is the one woman who can really make them look fantastic, but she tends to wear more feminine shirts, a small amount of make-up (very small, but whatever she did made her look radiant) and has her hair all done, out all curly or straight or tied in those little plaits. God her hair, he loved her hair. If there was one thing about a woman that really got his attention it was their hair. And her hair is the most fantastic hair he has ever seen. And the way it feels is even better. He is a sucker for a woman with great hair.

"Tony?" Ziva's voice ripped him from his daydreaming. He felt like he had his hand caught in the cookie jar, that look she was giving him seemed as though she knew _exactly _what he was thinking.

"Sorry. Yeah, of course" he replied, trying to hide his slight blush with a big smile. She smiled back. If she did know what he was thinking right then, she didn't address the fact. He filled the basin with warm water as the roar of her hairdryer began. He turned his head and watched her as her slim olive fingers raked through her hair while the dryer fanned her hair in all sorts of directions when she moved it around.

It was fascinating just to watch her, but he realized the basin was full with water and he was actually meant to be doing something instead of standing there watching her. He put his shaver into the water before bringing it up to his jaw and removing one strip of his very short stubble. Gibbs liked his agents to be presentable and sharp looking. Yeah, of course Tony dresses perfect for that category but there was a small part of him that wished he would be let off on the shaving side of things sometimes. He liked a bit of stubble. Sometimes.

Rinsing his shaver again he repeated the process. As he did he couldn't help but flicker his eyes across to Ziva in the mirror. He suddenly realized that she was watching _him_ in the mirror. Ziva wasn't ashamed that he had caught her either. She gave him this little smile and kept watching him shave as she did her thing.

And she continued to watch him too. He just removed the last of his stubble when she spoke up.

"You missed a spot" she smiled. He turned his head towards her just as she turned her hairdryer off. He grinned at her.

"Where?" he asked. Had he really missed a spot or was she just pulling his leg? He wouldn't put it past her to be joking. She put down the dryer and took a step closer to him.

"Right…" she brought her hand to his face and gently ran her finger just under his chin "There" she announced. He turned back towards the mirror and leant in as much as he could, lifting his head back to see what she was pointing at. He couldn't see anything. He was sure he couldn't see anything. It was either she was mucking with him or her younger eyes were better than his.

"I didn't miss anything" he stated, raising an eyebrow at her.

"You did" she chuckled softly. Just as he was about to take another look and then argue back again she had taken the razor from his hand.

"Here let me do it" she offered. She placed one hand to his chest and pushed him back slightly until he was turned and facing her. She wet the razor in the warm water before bringing her hand from his chest up to his jaw and softly tilted his head back. Her hands were warm and soft on his skin and her closeness was suddenly very welcoming. He was expecting to have some sort of prank or joke played on him right then but he felt the razor lightly run across his jaw and take off stubble.

So he did miss a spot. She ran her finger over the spot again, satisfied she had got it and smiled at him when he looked back down at her.

"I told you, you missed a spot" she said.

"Thank you, I am glad you were there to fix the problem" he smiled right back. He did realize the fact one of her hands still rested against his neck right now. Like it belonged there. Like this wasn't a red light situation between co-workers at all. But they weren't _just_ co-workers and she had always belonged there, even if she didn't really know it.

He had a feeling she did.

Her hand gently slipped from his skin and he missed the contact almost right away.

"You are very welcome" she replied and shot him another smile before turning and walking out of the bathroom. Her beautiful curls spilling down her back now. God, he loved her hair.

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><p>"Tony?" she whispered. He wasn't asleep yet. He had just closed his eyes and lay there. Pulling the covers more around him he answered.<p>

"Yeah?" he said. Turning his head towards her direction, he could vaguely see her in the dark looking at him from where she lay in her bed.

"Is it getting colder in here or is it just me?" she asked him seriously. Yes, he had felt as though the temperature of their room was getting colder. He just hadn't bothered to annoy her with asking if she was cold too or not, he wasn't sure if she was asleep yet, he didn't want to wake her if she was.

"Yeah it is a bit. Is the heater still on?" he asked. The heater was on her side of the room, he didn't really want to get out of his partly warm bed and walk all the way over there. He heard her move in her bed slightly, having a look.

"No" she replied, he could hear the confusion in her tone. Just before she asked the next thing he knew she would, he spoke up.

"I didn't turn it off though, and I know you didn't" he explained, confused now himself. He heard her move again in her bed, this time he saw her get up and move to the heater. He watched her dark shadow bend down and fiddle with the buttons. Then came the few hard smacks and a foreign swear word or two.

"I don't know what's going on, it is meant to be going but it's not" she exclaimed from the darkness. He smiled and couldn't help but chuckle lightly at her Mossad heater fixing techniques. Another firm smack was delivered before she retreated to her bed, seeking the slight warmth it brought.

"Stupid heater" she mumbled. He still smiled. Sometimes she was very entertaining without even trying.

"We will get it sorted out in the morning ninja" he told her. He knew she understood that but he heard her sigh.

"Yes, if I do not freeze to death tonight" she replied. He heard her move a few more times in the bed, trying to get warm. Even though she still had his hoddie she did get colder easier than him. Growing up in the warm weather was her downfall right now. Even he was feeling that cold air creep in and he was more used to the cold weather and had more thickness to him than her slim figure did.

He didn't want her to be up all night because of the cold. He didn't want her to be tired. He didn't want her to be uncomfortable. He knew there was one thing he could to do to help and after he cleared his suddenly nervous throat he gave her his offer.

"We could…share a bed. It would probably be warmer" he suggested. He had never given that offer before. He had never offered to share a bed with her, well maybe once or twice when he was joking but never serious. Of course he _would_ want to all the time but he never had the courage to push their friendship another stage and actually offered. Sure, they had shared in Paris but that was because there was no other choice, he wasn't going to make her sleep on the couch and she was mindful of his back.

"Ok" her reply was quiet and he knew she had thought about it. She knew as well as him what sharing a bed, what being so close like that did to them. It would put a worry on their stable friendship, pushing them into deeper emotions. But she had agreed, they had done it once and they were fine. Doing it again wouldn't hurt. Right?

He couldn't hear her move and he knew that she was putting the next step in his hands. He would be the one to initiate the offer he had given. He climbed out of his bed and pulled the cover off, throwing it on top of Ziva's bed. She pulled it up on the bed and then watched his shadow approach the side of the bed. When he did his eyes found hers somewhere in the dark and she lifted the covers for him. He slid underneath them.

As he did his body made contact with hers, she was cold.

"You really are cold" he whispered, turning on his side and facing her.

"Yes" she replied and he could just see her nod. He was keeping his hands to himself right now but he longed to reach out and touch her, hold her. With the little bit he could see in the dark he could see her eyes watching him. He was going to say something but he really didn't know what to say. He normally only ever found himself choked up when he was nervous. Why was he nervous? He was never nervous when he shared a bed with a woman. However, Ziva was not just any woman. She was his partner.

"I am complaining in the morning about this" Ziva's voice broke the silence. He could tell just by her tone that the moments she had actually enjoyed here so far in Alaska were being decreased by the fact a heater was broken in their room. His ninja could be sensitive sometimes, he knew that very well.

"Zi it's not that bad" he replied. True it wasn't _that _bad but it still wasn't the nicest to have a cold hotel room, at least it wasn't filled with maggots and rotting ceilings or something. The place was nice. It was just the broken heater in this cold climate that was the problem. She sighed, giving up on trying to convince him that she wasn't happy about the cold room when he was going to continue to say it was 'not bad'.

He softened then, at her defeat. He knew she was tired from today and she was always more tired when it was cold. It was just something he knew about her. He moved his hand under the covers and gently touched her shoulder.

"If you want me to go down and talk to the front desk now, I will" he said softly. He had her back and if she wanted a new room just because of a heater, he would get it for her. Deep down, he was a big softy. She shook her head.

"No, no you do not have to do that" she replied.

"Are you sure? 'Cause I can" he stated as he moved to get up slightly. He stopped when she placed her hand on his chest. He looked into her eyes. Then he had somehow moved slightly closer than before.

"No, I will be fine tonight, we will deal with it in the morning like you said, yes?" she stated. He noticed how again her hand didn't leave him, it was still on his chest. He actually didn't want to move now.

"Ok, I'll go see them in the morning" he replied and she smiled softly at him. To be honest, she just didn't want the warmth he had generated to leave her bed. She didn't really want _him_ to leave her bed.

"Thank you" she said quietly. He smiled at her and he was glad he could sort of see alright in the dark tonight. It was probably because he was just so close that he could see her. They fell into a silence again and he wasn't sure what to say. Her hand was still on his chest and it seemed like she wasn't going to move it away.

She was touching him so did that mean it would be ok for him to reach out and touch her?

He wasn't sure if his hand was about to be broken off or slapped away. One of the two he was sure of when he moved it under the covers, out in search of her body. Sure they touched all the time and she was fine with it but this, this was different. This was in bed, close, without supervision around of any sort. They were in a different situation. This was more personal than it ever had been before.

His hand found her hip and he gently rested it there. Waiting. Just waiting for her to bat it away and say something. Warn him that he had to keep his hands to himself. But, it never came. He finally looked up to find her looking at him. Observing him. And still, she didn't remove his hand or comment on it. He figured she was letting this be ok. She was letting him have a bit of freedom over her right now. He had _never _had this much freedom with her before.

She had never let him openly touch her like this in such an intimate moment. Sure they had when they went undercover all those years ago but that was a front, they had to do that to sell their cover. They didn't _have_ to now. Saying that, he only had his hand rested on her hip. But for_ them_, this was a big step. He dared to move his hand, trying to get some sort of reaction or for her to say something. He needed to know what she was thinking right now.

He drifted his hand higher up her hip, dipping down onto her waist. Her hand on his chest curled around his shirt. He got a reaction out of her, a small one, but it was _something_. But still she didn't push him away. If she wasn't going to tell him to stop he was going to take a risk. He knew this could change things between them but really, after all these years, he was sort of tired of pretending. No one else seemed to be working for him. She was always there to block them out of his heart.

She had made herself a protective ninja barrier around his heart that no other woman could penetrate. Only she had the secret key to get in. He didn't know how she had done it, but she had. And taking a risk with woman in this type of situation wasn't normally hard for him, but all of a sudden his heart was racing and he was sure his hands were shaking. He couldn't be sure. It was something she did to him. She was just so much different, so much more special than anybody else that he knew what he was doing was important. It was meaningful. It wasn't just something that meant nothing at all.

He moved his hand back down to her hip and gently he pulled her towards him while he shifted closer. All of a sudden his face was right in front of hers and her body was touching the whole length of his. Her warm breath was hitting his lips and he really wanted to lean in and kiss her right now. The fact she still hadn't moved made him speechless. Was he dreaming this right now or did she want much the same that he did?

Her hand had tightened on his shirt and her other hand slid its way over his waist and around his back in that moment. He was going to say something but he choked on the words before they came out and Ziva ended up snuggling into him, pressing herself right against him as her face buried itself in his neck. Really, this could be considered as friendly. Well maybe, if they didn't have such deep unsaid feelings between them. But they would treat this as a friendship thing. They didn't want to dive into anything else right now. What they needed was comfort from each other, they both hadn't had much comfort from someone in a while.

And he would give it to her, that comfort she needed. He pulled his arm around her and hugged her to his chest. He didn't know how they had gotten here without needing to explain what they were doing. Maybe what they were doing didn't need to be discussed. Maybe he should just settle for what she offers him and not ask questions. Wouldn't it just be easier if they didn't need to ask questions about everything?

He was left wondering, if they had taken _this_ step right now in their friendship, where exactly would the next one take them? He didn't know, but what he did know was that Ziva fell asleep in his arms like that. She didn't move one bit.

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><p><strong>Things are getting interesting :) Hope you liked it, next will be up as soon as I can.<strong>

**Hundan **


	5. Chapter 5

**Managed to fix this chapter up today. If there are any errors or mistakes in this one I blame my black eye, it was harder to concentrate and proof read after accidentally getting hit in the face at soccer yesterday :) However all of your reviews continue to light up my day and make me work as hard as I can on this for you all.**

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><p>Waking up to the chirp of his cell phone was something Tony didn't enjoy. Especially since he had only fallen asleep two hours ago. It had also woken Ziva, nothing that loud would go missed by her ninja senses. He didn't want to but he had to let go of Ziva to retrieve his phone. His hand slipped away from her back where he held her to him and her arms released him as well. He saw her smiling softly at him when he rolled over to get his phone, he took the smile as a good sign. She hadn't regretted snuggling up to him.<p>

His eyes were still half asleep so he didn't bother to check the caller ID, he couldn't wait long enough for his eyes to adjust for that.

"DiNozzo" he answered, followed by a yawn.

"It's Edwards. We got another dead marine, Private Jack Hall. He was found about thirty minutes ago at a park a street down from the bar we checked out the other day" Edwards explained straight away. Tony had to take a minute to process that with his still half asleep mind. He really, really didn't want to get out of bed right now, not when he had had Ziva so close in his arms. She may not let him again. But it looked like he was going to have to get out of bed. He started to wonder if there was any federal agent or detective that got the proper amount of sleep each week.

"Same M.O?" Tony asked, pulling back the covers and standing out of bed. He turned his head around to see Ziva watching him. With one simple nod of his head in her direction she was getting out of bed. He didn't miss the shiver that ran through her as she stepped out of the bed and into the cold air of the room. The temperature tonight had gone down even more while they had been briefly asleep and the heater problem wasn't helping.

"Yeah, same thing, throat slit from ear to ear, hands cut off and body severely beaten" Edwards explained. Whoever it was doing the killings, Tony knew had some serious anger issues. The marines they found were always beaten to a pulp. Tony listened as he picked up his pair of pants from the day before. A quick look around the room and he noticed Ziva had disappeared into the bathroom so he pulled his sweatpants off and pulled on his dress pants. He didn't have time to go hunting for a pair of boxers so he would just have to go without. It's not like he hadn't done it before anyways.

"Evans is on his way over to pick you up. He'll be there in about ten" Edwards replied.

"Ok, we'll see you soon" Tony said before hanging up. As he grabbed a shirt out of his bag and threw it on Ziva emerged from the bathroom. Cargo pants and what he would guess was at least three layers of shirts and on top of that was her big coat. He smiled softly at her effort to keep warm for the day. She yawned as she slid her boots on her fluffy sock covered feet and Tony knew that this was going to be a very long day. He was yawning again too and on the outside he may look rested but honestly, two hours sleep did not do any good for him.

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><p>When they arrived at the scene it was snowing softly and they had to get to work before the snow covered too much of their evidence. And for once, Tony missed the NCIS windbreakers. Sure he would normally say he would rather not wear them but on this occasion he missed the small amount of extra warmth it would provide him right now in this weather. He finally decided that even though this was a really nice place, he would <em>never<em> want to live here.

Ziva was next to him taking the photos as he gathered evidence. He looked across at her when she cursed in her native language. Her hands were shaking from the cold and she couldn't get a clear shot with the camera with her shaking. She didn't need to explain it to him for him to understand what was wrong. He could do it with just one look at the evidence in front of him. He was good at reading evidence. He was good at reading Ziva.

He stood up from where he was crouching next to the body and took one step across so he stood at her side. Her eyes flickered to him briefly but she continued what she was doing, trying not to let the weather interfere with her work. She took another photo and sighed. She couldn't get it with the constant shaking of her hands.

Tony reached out and gently placed his slightly warm hands over hers. Hers were ice cold.

"Here. Let me" he said quietly, searching her eyes for an answer of some sort. There was a small twinkle in them that he caught. She was thankful that he was going to take over, he had her back on this. She slowly slid her hands from under his and he took the camera in his grasp. She pulled the strap off her neck and placed it over his head and around his neck.

Her fingers touched the skin of his neck and he felt it when her thumb brushed over his neck once, just once while their eyes locked briefly. Showing him that she _really_ appreciated this. She gave him a soft smile before shoving her hands into her pockets, trying to get that warmth back into them.

For a moment he just stood there and looked at her. She was gazing into space towards the trees on the other side of the park. The soft park lights and the bright white snow beneath her feet lit up her features. The snow was softly falling around her and her slow, steady breaths came out in a puff of smoky air. It truly was a beautiful sight. He could stand here and stare at _that_ sight all day.

She must have felt his eyes on her like she usually did and turned her head slowly, meeting his eyes. She smiled at him again. It was that same soft smile that she had been giving him a lot lately. He smiled right back. He was about to say something when Evans and Edwards walked over and began discussing the information they had just got from the man who had found the body. And then they were right back into work. Moment lost.

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><p>He hated snow right in this moment. How the hell are you supposed to run in Italian shoes in the snow when you're trying to catch a suspect who fled as soon as they saw you coming? Tony wish he had one of those snowmobiles right now. Evidence had been found at the scene involving a man named Bobby Grey. They found out he worked at an auto shop in town and went to bring the guy in for some questions.<p>

However as soon as he saw the two cops approach he bolted out into the street. Tony and Evans right on his tail. Sure, Evans was younger than him and was more athletic, and had healthy lungs, and shoes that actually had some sort of grip to them, and… and he was just going to stop comparing himself to Evans. He was determined to catch Grey, even if it killed him. He wasn't letting pretty boy Evans take the perp and get the credit for it. Well he didn't really care what Edwards thought but if Evans caught the guy he would definitely show off to Ziva about it.

He admits that he is jealous about the nothing that Ziva assured him was there. He didn't like the way Evans flirted with Ziva. He had already done it eleven times today. Yes, he had counted. Evans and Grey already had a bit of a distance in front of him but who was he kidding? He wasn't as young, fit or had healthy lungs. He wasn't going to lie in saying Evans didn't have those things to his advantage right now.

Tony was sure they chased the guy a good mile or two before Tony was about to give up. He hadn't stretched before this 'run' (more like a sprint) and the pace was much to fast compared to his normal _jogs _he went on. His lungs were straining in the cold air. Cold air like this was never good for his weak lungs when he pushed them hard out like he was. However just before he was about to give up, he saw a plan.

Just as they were coming up to another corner there was an alleyway. Deciding to risk it and take a gamble that the perp would head to the right and not the left, Tony turned down the alley. He ran with all the last of his energy to the end of the alleyway. And lucky for him, just as he was coming out of the alley Grey was running passed. Tony wasn't going to just whip out his gun and yell at the guy to stop, that wasn't going to work. So in the next nanosecond he decided to just take a page out of his college days. When he played football.

He knew it was going to hurt before he lunged himself at the guy. But how much worse could he get than how he already felt? He tackled the guy and they both went crashing to the ground in a heap. As soon as they were to the ground Tony grabbed the guy's arms and pulled them behind his back. Roughly. With ice covered hands from the ground one of his hands slipped and Grey ripped his arm away. Successfully elbowing Tony in the head in the process.

Evans joined him on the ground then and they managed to get the guy in handcuffs. Tony then noticed some blood on the snow. So did Evans.

"DiNozzo, your heads bleeding" Evans pointed out and he left Grey face down on the snow for a moment. Tony lifted his hand to his head and when he pulled it back in front of his eyes he had blood on his hands.

"Dammit, how bad?" Tony asked. He hoped he hadn't got any on his suit. Evans leant in a little closer.

"You banged your eyebrow up, may need a couple stitches" he concluded. Tony hated having to go to hospitals. Tony just nodded and stood from the ground. His suit slightly damp now from some snow he had on it. He held his hand to his forehead, pressing down, hoping to slow the blood flow before they got back to the car. Which they had to walk all the way back to.

Evans had lifted Grey to his feet and they started their trek back to the car. A while later when they finally got to the car they put Grey in the backseat and then they went to the trunk and Evans gave Tony something to hold against his cut, so it wouldn't bleed everywhere. Then Evans had looked up at Tony. He had realized how the older man was still breathing deeply, and he had calmed down from the run a long while back.

"Too hard for you DiNozzo?" Evans smirked. Tony wanted to smack the smirk off his face. No it wasn't too hard, his scarred lungs just weren't capable for handling the task, a task he had _achieved _if he might add.

"No. I have badly scarred lungs and the cold air upsets them and makes it harder for me to breathe when I stress my lungs like that" Tony replied. And the slight sharpness to his tone had got the reaction he was looking for. Evans felt guilty now.

"Oh, sorry, I didn't mean to-" Evans began, feeling stink for irking him now. However Tony cut him off. He wasn't a total basted.

"Na its fine. Don't worry about it" Tony replied. He didn't mind the guy, he was ok. He just didn't like how he came onto his partner and he saw that as competition. That's all. He was a nice bloke. Evans just nodded at him.

"Lets get Grey back so we can get your eyebrow looked at" Evans announced. Closing the trunk and heading for the front of the vehicle.

"Alright" Tony replied, going to his seat on the passenger side.

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><p>They put Grey into a cell before heading to the team's office. Tony didn't miss all the looks he was getting as they walked through the police station. He had blood all over a part of his face after all. When they walked into the office Ziva and Edwards were looking at some papers and discussing something on the case. That was until they looked up and saw Tony. More pacifically <em>Ziva<em> saw Tony.

"Oh my god, Tony what happened?" she asked, putting the paper in her hand down and walking around the table to get to him. Stopping right in front of him.

"I just got an elbow in the face, nothing major" Tony shrugged. Ziva brought her hands up to where his held the cloth to his head to stop the bleeding. She pulled his hands away gently and observed his injuries with her own eyes. She needed to know with her own opinion that it was 'nothing major'. There was a split at the end of his eyebrow where he had been bleeding and she could also see the start of a bruise beginning.

However with her Army/Mossad trained injury knowledge, she knew he would need a few little stitches to the split. Nothing major yes, but still it was something that needed to be fixed.

"You will need two, maybe three stitches Tony" she stated. He knew whatever she concluded would be right, he knew she had had training in the Israeli army for that sort of thing. He groaned. He did _not _want to take a trip down to the ER and wait for hours to get a few stitches. Plus he hated over crowed public hospitals. She knew that and she could tell he really resented going.

She brought her hand up to the side of his face and softly touched her fingers next to the injury, having a slightly better look.

"If there is a good enough medical kit here I could do it" she stated. He looked down to meet her eyes with his. She was serious about it. He was slightly hesitant about her doing it.

"I dunno Zi…" he said. It's not like he didn't trust her or anything, of course he did. It's just that this was on his _face_, so that was a big deal. His face was important to him. She gave him a reassuring smile none the less.

"I have done it many times before Tony, I will not disfigure your pretty face" she smiled. Even though there was a playful ring to her answer, he knew she was serious. It was all in her eyes. He was truly safe in her hands. Anyways, he knew her hands were very steady when she did most things, and what makes a good doctor other than having steady hands?

"Ok Dr David" he said, returning her smile. It was then Tony noticed he and Ziva had gone off into their own little conversation while Edwards and Evans watched. And was that some sort of jealousy he saw in Evans eyes? Whatever it was he chose to ignore it and bring the detectives into the conversation.

"So, do you have some sort of medical kit around here somewhere?" Tony asked smiling. Edwards smiled back.

"I don't think I could let Evans stitch me up, I wouldn't trust him" Edwards laughed as he walked out of the room to retrieve the medical supplies. Tony wouldn't either, but Ziva was different, she had much more training across the field then Evans had. Ziva knew what she was doing, and he truly _trusted_ her.

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><p>He couldn't say that even though this was a bad thing he wasn't enjoying it. True, he had a killer pain in his eyebrow, a bruise that was beginning to show and he was still bleeding slightly but right now he wasn't paying attention to that. What he was paying attention to was Ziva's hands on his face right now, and the way she was concentrating on her task. On him.<p>

They had retreated to the women's bathroom (it was so a _them_ place it wasn't funny) because there were a lot less females at the police station and Edwards wasn't sure how well a female would go down being in the men's bathroom with every male that walked in and out of there all the time. She had sat him on the basin and she took her place between his legs, best spot so she could get her hands where she needed them.

He was slightly nervous by how _close _she was actually standing to him. Her body was only about a fraction away from touching his. If she did move any closer she would touch him right between the legs where-

He stopped thinking that _right _away before he got himself in trouble or did something stupid. He wasn't going to distract her when she was meant to be stitching up his precious face. She was cleaning the blood off his face right now, running a damp cloth down his cheek, his neck, through the very edge of his hair. And if she was bothered by the fact she was getting his blood on her hands she didn't seem to show it. She seemed very unfazed by it.

His eyes followed her face, the way she was carefully looking just to the side of his eyes where his eyebrow was, every now and then she would quickly flicker her eyes to meet his because she could feel him staring. And he was staring, he wasn't going to deny it, and she knew this. Ever since the first day she had walked into the bullpen he had stared at her any chance he got, she was just so pleasing to look at and watch. The way she did things would amaze him sometimes, that and she always looked good while she did it.

Maybe it was just because she was beautiful that he couldn't keep his eyes off her. Maybe it was because he was just so attracted to who she was, what she really meant to him. God, he was damn sure he was having those deep feelings about his partner again, and right now they were all running through his head at full speed.

They had been circling in his head a lot more in the past few days now that he thinks of it. Maybe it was because he was spending all of his time with her, in and out of work because they were sharing a hotel together. Maybe it was because someone wasn't around to monitor him and deliver those head slaps every time he thought he saw something inappropriate.

Ziva put the cloth down and picked up a small bottle. She put some of the liquid from the bottle onto a clean little cloth. When her eyes caught his again he knew what was going to happen next. His head was going to burn. She softly placed the cloth to his head and that goddamn antiseptic crap stung. Why the hell would something that was supposed to help, hurt so much? He hissed in pain and Ziva pulled it back slowly.

"Sorry Tony, but I need to clean it properly" she stated softly. She knew she was meant to be playing doctor right now but she didn't like to hear him in pain like that. Tony nodded gently.

"No, I know. Its fine" he replied. It was going to happen anyways, at the hospital or not, it had to be done. He would get over it. Ziva put the antiseptic down and picked up the small needle and wire thread. A surgical suture, or that's what Ziva told him it was. She said he was lucky it happened to be in their medical kit, you wouldn't normally find them in the classic medical kit, well unless you were in the armed forces or Mossad, that's what she had explained anyways.

She brought it up to eye level as she approached his eyebrow. Heck, he really didn't want to see that thing so up close and personal, he actually didn't like needles that much. Ever since he was forced to have an injection by his doctor as a kid. She stopped just above his eyebrow and her hand that wasn't holding the needle went softly to his jaw, holding his head in place. She locked eyes with him again.

"This is the bit you're not going to like, but all I really need you to do is keep still, ok?" she said. As serious as she would ever be.

"Ok, I'll try" he said quietly in return. Now, all he needs to do is keep still. That's simple enough, right? Her hand moved again and it got closer. She wasn't paying attention to him anymore, well not his gaze anyways. She was solely focused on that needle. Oh god, oh god, that needle was pressing into his skin right now and it did _not _feel ok. Well he was the one who didn't want to go to the hospital and have the benefit of him being numb when they did it.

He guessed this was worth it, as long as he got to have a nice strong alcoholic drink later he would be ok. When she went in a second time he closed his eyes tight. Maybe he should have had a drink before she did it. No, he was on the clock and he shouldn't drink on the clock. God dammit, he needed a drink, on the clock or not.

However by the third time that horrid needle pierced his skin, it didn't feel so bad. The pain of it all was beginning to numb him. He opened his eyes to see her still concentrating away on her task, which was a good thing really. If she wasn't concentrating he might be in trouble. He felt her rise up a bit more on her tippy-toes so she could get to his eyebrow better. He found his hands reaching out and gently taking her by the waist.

She didn't seem to notice, that or she just ignored the fact his hands were holding onto her waist right now. He found himself beginning to forget what was even happening. The fact he only just realized now that her body was even closer to his then it was before. Is that even possible? If she were to move a hair of a step closer she would touch him. His hands twitched at her sides, he could easily pull her that little step closer.

Before he realized it, it was more than just a thought. His hands gently pulled her closer and she pressed into him. He ran his hands lightly up the sides of her waist, heading back down again slowly. Whatever stupid move he was about to do next was stopped by Ziva's voice filling his ears.

"Tony, you are distracting me. I need to focus on this if you want it not to be noticeable when you're healed" she replied. Her voce wasn't angry or upset. It was very neutral. And yet she didn't make a move to step back at all. She stayed right were she was. Maybe he would be allowed to hold her in his arms again tonight. Maybe she had deeper feelings about him than he thought she did.

"Ok, sorry" he replied. He didn't remove his hands though, he left them softly at her side. But he didn't move them, that may end up in one of his appendages being dismembered, because after all she had given him his warning. You don't get a second one when it comes to ninjas. He had learnt that a long time ago.

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><p><strong>Hope you enjoyed this one :)<strong>

**Hundan**


	6. Chapter 6

**Yet again thank you all for the fantastic reviews. Here's the next chapter.**

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><p>She had only stepped back slightly and he dropped his hands when the door had opened. They had expected a female to come in but Tony was pretty sure Evans was not a female. He sort of wished he was. Unless he decided to be a female attracted to other females, then he would still have his problem with Evans and Ziva. Maybe not so much actually, a female coming onto his partner was definitely much better than another male.<p>

And for some reason Evans found it fitting to stand there and watch as Ziva finished her work on Tony. Tony had caught Evans take a good look at his partner's ass when she was focused on stitching him up. And god, Tony could actually see something he would rather not right then. This guy Evans, he knew what else it was that bugged him about the guy. It was that he reminded him so much of himself when he was a young detective.

And hell, Tony knew _just_ what he was like back in those days. He would charm the pants off any beautiful woman within half a mile of him. Evans wanted Ziva, he could see it clear as day in the kid. He just didn't know if Ziva would go there. She had told him it was nothing but what would happen if Evans turned up the charm and a few alcoholic beverages were thrown in the mix? He just wasn't sure. He was sure that's not what Ziva wants anymore. He knew she was looking for something more permanent. Why? Because she never went out with guys anymore and he just _knew_.

The last guy in her life was Ray. He was long gone now. Ziva had kicked his secret-keeping-dorky-haired-stupid-skiing-trip-big-eared-ass to the curb. Ok, so maybe Tony was over doing it a little with the dislike for CI-Ray, but really there was something hinky about the guy that twisted his gut. And he was not having his gut all twisty feeling about someone who spends so much time with Ziva. It was… no. It was just a no.

And ever since Ray had gone from the picture she hadn't been out looking for anyone to fill that gap, not once. Not even when Abby had asked her to go out to the local night scene, meaning one thing, picking up hot guys. Ziva had sometime in her American lifetime given up that sport. Now that he thinks about it, Ziva had been at _his_ a lot more lately. And like, a lot.

Anyways, the only reason he was suddenly worried about the threat Evans placed was simple, because right now the guy was out with _his _partner for dinner. Tony got his night last night, being fair. He didn't really fell like playing fair however. And this Evans guy did not live in Washington with Ziva and see her everyday like he did so the guy deserved to have her for at least a few hours right? Tony guessed the guy deserved the chance. As long as he didn't try getting into a pair of Israeli cargo pants tonight Tony would be _alright_ about it.

Evans had approached Ziva when Tony wasn't around earlier, and Tony thought it was actually a cunning plan. He knew last time Evans asked, Ziva had turned Evans down for him instead. He was sure Evans had picked up on that. And if Tony wasn't in the room when he asked, Ziva may forget about Tony. Well, she hadn't. Considering she said she would have to 'talk to Tony first'. But hey, it wasn't that weird, Tony had been injured today and he knew Ziva wouldn't go out with Evans tonight if Tony wanted her to stay by his side to watch over his injured self.

He wasn't going to do that to her though, she deserved to go out. She didn't need to be stuck looking after him when she could be out having a nice dinner with Evans. Ok, he was stopping all this thinking before thinking her going out with Evans tonight was a good thing when he kept ending up with the thought that it wasn't so great in his eyes. He needed to refill his scotch glass.

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><p>It was different but it was still nice. She hadn't been out on a date since Ray was around. Well, she had been out with Tony many times to dinner lately, but that was different. He was… well, he was Tony. James had taken her out to a nice little restaurant, she had actually seen it the other day when they had driven past and it had caught her eye. And it was just as nice on the inside as it was the outside.<p>

They had a small table for two by a big glass fireplace that sat in the middle of the restaurant. She wasn't cold right now like she had been earlier today, not with the warmth in the restaurant from the fire. She hadn't dressed up and worn a dress out to this 'date' she was on with James. He was lovely, but her intentions were nothing more than a nice dinner. Even if it was pretty much being classed as a 'date'.

She also knew that Tony wasn't in the best of thinking about this date with James. He didn't say it aloud and he didn't stop her from going (he could of if he had asked her to stay with him), but she could see it. She was always very good at reading him. He was jealous, that much was obvious. But he wasn't being a real ass about it. He hadn't even said anything about her going, he didn't once say anything rude or nasty about James. Which was good.

She had expected him to at least say _something_, but he didn't. She knew why. Over the years his jealousy had changed. In the beginning he would get nasty or snappy at her about who she was with. Now, now he was calm and seemingly interested in being civil about it even though he was jealous. He was much more respectful of what she chose to do even if he hated the idea. She had seen it with Ray, with Ray it was clear to her that Tony didn't like it but he was respectful of Ray. He had even encouraged her with Ray, saying he was a good man, telling her to take him back even.

She didn't know if he was just being nice after all the little jokes he had said about Ray before he had met him. She did know that he and Ray had had a little discussion, what about she doesn't know, without her present. Maybe Tony just wanted to see her happy. She had been happy for a long time when all things Ray were considered. But Ray just wasn't who she really thought he was in the end. He wasn't the type of man she was really looking for. He wasn't permanent enough for her.

"You are very quiet" James' statement brought her out of her thoughts. She picked up her wine and took a sip.

"I was just thinking about the last time I was out like this" she replied. She didn't normally indulge in this type of honest conversation on a first date with someone, but she had been working with James for the past few days, he wasn't just a stranger.

"You don't go out much? I would have thought of you as the type of woman who would enjoy going out" he replied, drinking some of his beer as they waited for their meals. He wasn't implying to her as an easy woman who got around lots, just the type of woman who liked to go out at night to a nice dinner. And she did.

"No, I do go out a lot. Just not really like _this_" she replied. She didn't want to say the word 'date' because he may think she was interested in it as more than it was. She guessed it was a date, just one that wouldn't lead to his bed afterwards.

"I'm sure any guy would like to take you out like this" James smiled. She could see that right now he was flirting with her.

"I guess they may" she replied, smiling back.

"So when you're out do guys never approach you or something?" James wondered. Trying to figure out why she was never out on dates.

"No, not normally when I go out" she replied. Engaging in the conversation about her dating life with him. Why not? She had something to do. James' face was confused. How was she never approached by guys when she is clearly a very attractive woman?

"Well who is it you're normally out with? That might be why guys don't come up to you. Do you have really creepy looking friends?" he asked. She could hear that last joke ring in the air, he wasn't actually serious. She chuckled lightly.

"No. I normally go out with Tony" she replied. His smile dropped slightly and he was quiet for a moment. _That _is why she was never approached by guys. You don't go up to a chick who's already with another guy, well, unless you're drunk out of your mind or completely stupid.

"Do you two go out a lot?" James found himself asking. Ziva could see the jealousy in his face even though he tried to hide it. What is with males and jealousy?

"Yes, quite a bit. It is easy just to go out from work to dinner when it is so late and the hours we get can be bad. It is much nicer than by yourself all the time" she replied. James looked down at his drink.

"Are you sure you two aren't…?" he asked. Making sure he knew he wasn't in between something with taking her out tonight.

"No. Tony and I…well Tony and I are very close partners because we have been through a lot together. That is why many people believe there is more to us then what truly is. But no, Tony and I do not have a romantic relationship, just a very good friendship" she stated. She wasn't sure if she was telling the truth or lying to the man across from her. Sure, she and Tony didn't have a romantic relationship but they did have unspoken feelings, and she did find herself wanting more with Tony in certain moments but they have never taken it that far. James nodded slowly at her answer. Feeling like there was something small she was leaving out, however he decided not to ask about it.

"So he doesn't mind that I took you out tonight?" he asked instead.

"Well, he is mindful of the men I go out with, he has my back. So considering that he didn't confront me about going out with you tonight it must mean you're in his good book" she said. She wasn't going to tell James that Tony was extremely jealous of her going out with him tonight and that if it was up to him he would rather she hadn't. But the fact Tony hadn't said anything out loud to her about it meant he thought James was ok. She wasn't lying in what she told James.

"I wouldn't think so" James smiled "Not with the way he has been looking at me in the last couple days when I approach you" James stated. Yes, Ziva had noticed Tony do so too.

"He is just keeping an eye on you. He is very protective of me, he is always very protective of his partners" Ziva explained. James raised an eyebrow.

"Even when it involves personal matters?" James questioned. He did have a point. But one thing he wasn't very aware of is that Gibbs' team is a very close knit group, like family. And personal and professional was all very much the same to them.

"Yes. Our team is all close, like a family. We are all friends so we are connected in a personal way as well as professional" she explained. He nodded.

"So Tony is like a brother to you?" James asked. She had no idea how to answer that. You cannot feel the way she does about your brother. And thank God for her that's just when their waiter arrived with dinner. She was lucky he hadn't brought the question up again when the waiter had left. She didn't know if she could answer that question. If she told him Tony was like a brother she would be lying. If she told him he wasn't like a brother James may get the fact that there was something deeper there between the partners. She didn't want to ruin this nice date on the count of him being upset by her answer.

Ziva had told Ray that Tony was like a brother to her, and she had been lying. She had only said it to get Ray off her back about Tony, Ray was constantly asking about him. Ray saw Tony as a threat because of how close she and Tony were. The only way she was able to keep the peace between Ray and Tony was to explain to Ray Tony was like a brother to her.

It had worked because Ray hadn't done anything stupid but she did know that Ray had told Tony she saw him as a brother. And she knew that had hurt Tony. But when Ray had gone she had told Tony one night that she had lied to Ray about him being a brother to her because Ray had not liked their friendship, he thought there was something more. Tony had been pleased at her honesty to him but he hadn't asked anymore, he hadn't asked her what he meant to her if he wasn't like a brother. That was a conversation they had avoided. It would have brought up feelings that they always keep hidden.

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><p>Her meal had been wonderful and James had been a gentleman for the rest of the evening. She could tell he was really trying to impress her, she liked it. He was very charming and flirty too, it made her smile. But there was something different about the way he did it, something missing. And it wasn't until she checked her phone as they were leaving to see if Tony had text her to realize what it was.<p>

It was Tony. There was just the way Tony would do all those things to her, charm her when they had their moments, that felt so much different, so much more special. She realized then that even though another man may captivate her, no one could do it as well as Tony could.

They left the restaurant and began walking down the street. It was cold again tonight (was there ever a warm night here?) and she was glad she had her big coat. She could feel how close James was walking to her, then his shoulder brushed hers and she looked up to see him looking at her. He was giving her a very soft smile and when he softly grasped her hand in his they stopped walking and she was suddenly facing him.

Her heart rate sped up when she realized where he was taking this right now, he was going to kiss her, she just knew it. She could see it in his eyes, his smile. And then before she could say no he was leaning down and his lips were against hers. For a fraction of a second she found herself kissing back, only because she hadn't kissed anyone in a while and her natural reaction when kissed was to kiss back. But for some reason this all felt wrong to her.

She placed her hands on his chest and softly pushed him back. She really didn't want to break his heart right now. She could see the confusion on his face when she pulled back.

"I'm sorry James, but I can't do this" she stated. He didn't move, his hands were on her hips right now, she knew that he was upset by this and he wanted to kiss her again.

"Why?" he asked. He was looking into her eyes and she suddenly felt too exposed.

"I just cannot. We work together-" she began but was cut off by him.

"Don't blame it on that, you know that doesn't really matter" he said, leaning closer, preparing to kiss her again. She stepped back out of his reach and his hands dropped to his sides.

"I'm sorry" she stated, looking away from him.

"Tell me why you can't do this Ziva? It can be just for tonight, just some fun. Something good to remember when you were here in this place instead of just work" he tried. He really wanted this. She shook her head.

"No, I can't. I can't do this to him" she said. When he went quiet she realized what she had said. She looked up to see him looking at her.

"I didn't think you had a boyfriend?" he questioned her. All that talk about not going on dates had led him to think she was single, that and the fact she had accepted to come out on this date with him in the first place. And it was true, she was single.

"No, I do not have a boyfriend" she replied. He was again, confused.

"Then who exactly can't you do this to if you don't have a…" he began but didn't finish his sentence. He had realized something "It's him, isn't it?" he asked. He had given up all attempts of kissing her again now. She knew who he was talking about, but playing dumb would be her safest response right now.

"Who?" she asked.

"DiNozzo" he replied. She went to argue the point but thought better of it. He knew she would be lying now if she tried to.

"Yes it is Tony. But, only because I told him I would not do this, and I promised him I wasn't going to sleep with you" she replied. He furrowed his brow then, they had discussed him.

"He will not know and you do not have to tell him" James said, taking a step closer.

"Yes, he will know" she replied.

"How would he know if you don't tell him?" James stated.

"Because, he would just know. And I share everything with him, we do not keep secrets" she stated. He looked down at her like she was obviously lying just then.

"I do not believe that, otherwise he would know you have feelings for him by now" James stated. His voice accusing.

"What?" she questioned. He didn't just say what she thinks he did, did he?

"You heard me" James said. He was clearly upset now by everything that had happened. She wasn't going to fight him on this, it wasn't worth the risk of something coming out of her mouth that she would rather keep a secret. She was just going to walk away from this. So she turned and began walking down the street. After a second she heard his steps coming behind her.

"Ziva stop, please" he called out. His voice had taken a softer more apologetic tone. She stopped and slowly turned around to face him.

"What?" she sighed.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to upset you" he said quietly. She could tell that he was truly sorry. She shook her head.

"No, it is ok" she said, softening slightly.

"I shouldn't have questioned you on your relationship with him" he explained "It was none of my business"

"You are right, it was not" she agreed.

"I just thought that you felt that same vibe between us and you are so beautiful and I thought we were really going to have a nice night" he explained. She took a step closer and placed her hand on his chest lightly.

"You are a very nice man James and any girl is lucky to go out with you but I just cannot break that promise to him and I am looking for something more permanent in my life. If this was a few years ago I would have gone home with you tonight, but I am not the same woman I used to be back then" she stated.

"That's ok Ziva. I understand. I did not mean to upset you at all and I hope that after this nothing's going to be bad between us?" he asked.

"No, you are alright James. I actually had a very lovely night, so thank you" she said. He smiled.

"You are welcome" he replied. She dropped her hand from his chest.

"Well I better get you back to your hotel" he announced. She nodded.

"Yes, I think that is a good idea" she said. Not adding the fact that Tony was probably wondering where she is. They got back into a walk and he walked her all the way until they got to her hotel a few blocks over. At the entrance they smiled at each other and she thanked him again before she headed inside.

She knew he would be heading home with a different end to the night then he had hoped. But he seemed as though he was ok with that. He didn't want to interfere with anything that she and Tony had. He knew that there was something there, something that they hadn't acted on yet. And she knew that he would keep it to himself.

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><p><strong>Hope you enjoyed this chapter. I will have the next one up soon and I promise to have more Tony and Ziva in that one :)<strong>

**Hundan **


	7. Chapter 7

**All of the reviews I got were fantastic, I feel like I am always repeating myself but I am always grateful for the reviews I get from you guys :) And I have the next chapter for you.**

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><p>Tony had decided, in the end, not to refill his scotch glass. Sure he could use another drink to calm his mind but he didn't want to do that if he really thought about it. If he thought about it he was going to rely on alcohol in a way he didn't want to. Ever since the time when everyone thought Ziva had died and he had become a bit of an alcoholic because of the news, he had given up on the excessive drinking.<p>

There were times when he was alone in his apartment after finding out she was dead where he would just sit on his couch and drink until he passed out from the amount of alcohol he had consumed. Those were dark days in his past. He didn't like to think about those times anymore. And he never used alcohol like he did in those times ever again. Normally he would now only have a drink when he had company.

The only reason he had one tonight by himself had been to help numb the slight pain he had from today on his eyebrow. And after his thoughts turned to Ziva and he wanted another drink to get some emotional pain away he put the drink down. He will never go back to those dark days when he drunk his emotional pain away. It wasn't fair to the healthier life he led now. The relaxing, happy Tony he tried to focus on outside of work.

And it was working, mainly because he spent a lot of his time out of work with Ziva in his company and they had grown close again. Their friendship had reached a new level of closeness and the time they shared was always with smiles on their faces and laughter filling the air. He loved spending his time with her. It made him happy.

While Ziva was out and he had some time on his hands he had stuff he needed to sort out. Picking up his cell phone and making sure the time difference between where he is and DC wasn't extreme he dialed his favourite computer hacker. After a few rings the probie picked up.

"McGee" he stated.

"Hey Probie, how's things down there with the Boss man all by yourself?" Tony quirked.

"It is quiet considering you're not here, it's actually really peaceful and boss was considering leaving you in Alaska to start a one man NCIS team up there. You know, it would be good for you, some solitary confinement" McGee dug right back at him, Tony couldn't help but chuckle softly at McGee. Even though Tony gave him a lot of crap over the years McGee had really grown into a strong agent who wasn't afraid to take Tony on anymore. A few years ago McGee wouldn't have even thought once about saying a comment to Tony like that.

"Yeah, I miss you too McSmarty-pants" Tony replied. He heard McGee laugh lightly on the other end.

"Anyways, what did you need? Or is this one of those social calls were you have nothing to do except bother McGee when he has things to do?" McGee asked, earning another chuckle from Tony.

"And what things would that be Elf Lord? Do you have some important online demon slaying to do?" Tony replied, satisfied at his probie payback for the solitary confinement comment.

"No, I actually have a date tonight" McGee said proudly. Tony was proud of McGee and his dates, heck McGee went on more dates then Tony did these days, considering Tony didn't really date anymore. However he wouldn't tell McGee he was proud of him, that would be too much of an ego boost for the probie.

"Ok, I have a favor I wanted to ask but if you're busy I can call you back tomorrow?" Tony asked, turning serious. McGee picked up on that.

"Na, its ok. My date isn't for another hour so I've got time. What did you need?" McGee asked. Tony was glad for a friend like Tim.

"Well I need to transfer some money from my account to another and I was wondering if you could use your wicked computer skills to help me out on the matter?" Tony asked. He heard McGee move in his apartment and sit in that squeaky computer chair he loved so much.

"Yeah sure, whose is the other account?" McGee asked. He was curious to why Tony was transferring money to someone else but he wasn't going to dig into Tony's personal life if Tony didn't want him to.

"It's my Dad's" Tony replied. McGee knew what this was about without needing to ask. Even though Tony didn't know he knew, McGee knew Tony had been helping his dad out with money when his dad was struggling.

"Ok, sure" McGee replied. After Tony gave McGee all the details and things McGee had it all done in about ten minutes.

"There we go. It should be in his account by morning" McGee stated. He wasn't going to comment on the fact Tony Senior had almost no money left in his account and Tony must have done this a couple times by the old transfer information to his dad's account that McGee had stumbled upon.

Tony was actually very generous to his dad by what McGee had seen. By the looks of things Tony had given his dad the money McGee knew Tony was saving for a house. Even though Tony was alone, he was sick of living in an apartment and wanted a home for himself, whether or not he had someone to share it with.

"Thanks Tim, I do appreciate it. But do you think you could keep this between us? I mean, Gibbs knew I helped my Dad out a little while ago and if he knew I was doing it again I am sure Gibbs would personally go visit my Dad and talk to him about his problems" Tony replied. He knew that would be something Gibbs would do. He had told Tony he shouldn't help his dad out again next time if his dad wasn't changing his ways. But Tony was assured his dad would get help now, this was the last time he was doing this.

"Ok, don't worry, I'll keep my lips sealed. But Tony, don't you think you should make sure your Dad, you know, gets some help with his money problems?" McGee asked. McGee was a good friend, he was looking out for Tony.

"Yeah I know Tim, I have made sure he is getting help now. He has promised me he will, I told him this was the last time I would help him out" Tony explained. McGee was glad Tony had put his foot down with his dad and won't let him leach off Tony if he wasn't going to change after this. Tony was a softy at heart and to say something like that to his dad would have been hard. He hoped Ziva had been there for him, he knew they comforted each other when things got tough. Not that they knew that he knew that. McGee actually knew more than everybody thought he did about most things.

"That is good then. Well I better run, got to get ready" McGee stated.

"Ok Tim, thanks again. Enjoy your night" Tony replied.

"I will, thank you" McGee said in return. After hanging up Tony sighed and leant back into the pillows of his bed. He was glad that was all sorted out. Hopefully his dad would really change his ways with money because whatever happened, Tony wasn't going to give him anymore money, he had done it enough. And saying no to your father about something like this was hard. He had already given his dad most of his savings that he had for buying a house. Maybe he will just have to give up his dream of having a house instead of an apartment.

There was one more thing he had to get done tonight, and that was to go talk to the reception about the heater last night. It was working now so something must have been fixed but he still needed to have a discussion with them about how uncomfortable his night had been. Even though he had actually enjoyed what the broken heater had caused him and Ziva to do. Snuggle.

When he got to the front desk there was a man behind the counter in his fifties with white grey hair and the classic red suit jacket that all the desk workers had in this hotel.

"Hello Sir, how may I help you?" the older man asked politely as he saw Tony stop at the desk.

"Um, yes, well last night there was a heater problem in our room and…" Tony began but stopped when he noticed the desk clerk had an explanation already by the way he was nodding his head.

"Yes, yes. We do apologize for the malfunction we had last night with the hotels heater system. I assure you it has all been dealt with now but we are offering to pay for one night of your stay or add an additional extra night on free of charge to all guests" he explained. Tony didn't see what sort of benefit him and Ziva would get out of that when work was paying for it. Unless…unless they did stay an extra night. Maybe instead of flying home on a late night trip like they normally did they could catch one the next afternoon and have some time off while they were in Alaska.

Tony knew if he was going to do that he was going to have to be pretty damn persuasive and charming to get it to happen with his boss. He would have to think of something good for his plan to work.

"Ok, thank you" Tony said to the man who nodded to him in return. Once Tony was back upstairs he threw himself on his bed. He was bored without Ziva here. He checked his phone for messages but when he found none there he placed it back on the bedside table. He saw Ziva's book sitting there and couldn't help but pick it up and open the first page. He was bored and there sat a book for him. He was sure Ziva wouldn't mind.

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><p>When Ziva walked into the hotel room what she found she wasn't expecting. She had to smile. There Tony lay, on his bed, with <em>her<em> book in his hands. And he seemed very engrossed in her book. He looked up when he saw her enter.

"Young lady you are past your curfew" he grinned and briefly put down her book. She had to chuckle at him. She took her coat off, followed by her shoes. She could feel that the heaters had obviously been fixed by the fact the room was nice and warm.

"I did not know I had one" she replied. Playing along with him.

"You know you have to be home before eleven on a school night" he continued. She laughed as she walked across the room and sat on the side of his bed.

"And what is this I see?" she asked, tapping her book in his hands. He just grinned even more.

"This is a very good book" he replied. She smiled at him.

"Yes, I know that, I am halfway through reading it" she said.

"Don't worry I didn't lose your page" he explained, opening the book and showing her the bookmark still sitting in the page she was on.

"I did not take you as the romance novel type" she questioned.

"You rubbed off on me, and I am starting to enjoy reading more than I used to" he replied. She knew this was very true. Ever since he picked up one of her books one night at her place she had seen him reading a book every now and then when he didn't feel like watching a movie. Most of the time he would steal ones from her bookshelf. She liked having this affect on him, it was good to read books.

"Good for the imagination" she smiled and tapped the book again "Do not think you can steal this one before I am finished with it though" she warned. He lifted the book off his lap.

"And if I do not return it?" he replied. Smirking as he lifted the book higher above his head.

"You have seen my knife collection at home, yes?" she smiled back. She had the most knives he had ever seen in one place, he knew she was not someone to mess with. Well except for him. He could mess with her and get away with it. To a degree though, but still he could get away with a lot more than anyone else.

"Yes I have, and I am not intimidated" he replied. Ok, so he would be intimidated if it was a real threat but he knew she didn't really mean it. He lifted the book higher as she reached out for it.

"Tony" she warned, reaching for it again.

"Ziva" he replied, smiling down at her as she got closer to him. She was slightly leaning over him as she tried to reach the book. She moved more to get it and was leaning even closer, her chest brushed against his as her hand gripped around his on the book. Then as she did she didn't pull it to her, her eyes dropped to his. His nose was almost touching hers and he could feel her breath against his lips.

His hand holding the book lowered to the bed and hers followed it. She could feel what she hadn't felt earlier with James. That difference that Tony made her feel simply with a look just like this, a moment. She could feel how her chest tightened slightly at the effect he had on her. She could so easily kiss him right now, so easily just lean forward and press her lips to his. But for some reason she couldn't. James had kissed her only a little while ago and it felt…wrong for her to kiss him right now.

Maybe there would be another moment when she could. She just felt as though she needed to be refreshed, and maybe once she had showered and changed into her sleepwear she could snuggle up with him again tonight. She had noticed how he hadn't moved her covers from his bed. And before he could lean down and kiss her like she was thinking he was about to, she leant back and moved the hand she had around his onto his chest.

"I think I might go have a shower, and then climb into bed for the night" she smiled down at him. He smiled back, realizing that he could see her saying something in her eyes more than she was saying out loud. She wanted to climb into _his_ bed with _him_ for the night, just like they had last night.

"Ok, I will be right here" he replied as she leant off him and began to stand up off the bed. She collected her things and as she was heading to the bathroom he called out.

"And I'll be reading my book" he said. She turned her head and smirked at him. He really made her laugh sometimes. It was another thing that made him different from everyone else, they way he could make her smile so easily.

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><p>When she came out of the bathroom he was right where she left him, doing exactly what he said he was going to do. He didn't look up from the book as she walked towards the bed but she did see the smile cross his face. He knew she was there. Not even discussing the fact she was choosing to sleep in his bed tonight she climbed onto the other side and slid as close as she could so she was reading over his shoulder.<p>

"Hmm, you want to know what happens in this bit?" she teased.

"If you tell me I will kill you" he replied. She turned to face him and raised an eyebrow. She noticed the increasing grin on his face.

"Since when did you take up the roll as the ex-assassin in this partnership?" she smiled. He still didn't take his eyes off the book, but she could tell he wasn't reading anymore. He was too distracted.

"Since… just now" he smiled, lifting his eyes from the book to look at her "I think I could pull off the assassin thing" he stated, jokingly.

"I would have to disagree on that one Tony" she replied. He put the book down on the bed.

"Really?" he asked, intrigued to her thoughts. She smiled and brought her hand up and rested it lightly on his chest. Over his heart.

"Your heart is too big, you are too much of a softy for that line of work" she stated.

"Me? I am not a softy" he argued playfully. He knew that he really was a softy when it came down to it, but that wasn't his image. He was a hardened cop, or that's what he tried to make people believe. Ziva, she saw right through that. She smiled down at him.

"Yes you are. It is just not what you lead people to believe" she said, leaning in a bit closer.

"And you, you are a softy too. Miss Romance Novel. I see right through you" he smiled back. She found herself leaning in closer. It didn't go passed her the fact she still had her hand on his chest.

"I am caught, you got me. You just know me too well" she surrendered. He chuckled lightly. She brought her hand up to the side of his face, just below the bruise by his eyebrow.

"It looks good, you haven't bruised as much as I thought you would. How is it feeling?" she asked, suddenly changing the subject when the injury caught her eye. He leant into her touch.

"Yeah its fine, it doesn't feel too bad" he replied, loving the sensation when her fingertips began running little circles in the edge of his hair.

"That is good then, yes?" she asked as her fingers kept moving.

"Yeah. So, how was your date with Evans tonight?" he asked, smiling again. She knew this conversation was going to come up at some point tonight and she had decided earlier that she wasn't going to lie to him about anything. She doesn't do that to him. She knows what lying between them does.

"It was nice. He was a gentleman" she began. He moved his hand and poked at her ribcage softly, a grin on his face.

"And? Did he put the moves on you or what? Give me the details" he smiled. She really had to chuckle at that, Tony sounded like he was her best girlfriend trying to get the boy gossip out of her. And even though he didn't like the thought of her and Evans doing any sort of 'moves' he wanted to know, and he was easy going with how he asked. Playful, less serious. So it wasn't as serious as he would feel it in his heart.

"Yes he did, he kissed me" she began, she could see his face fall slightly, he didn't like the fact he kissed her, that much was obvious to her "But I stopped it before it got anymore then a peck, I did not want that" she added. His eyes came back to hers. That was a bit easier on his ears to hear. And he didn't say anything else, she knew he would wait until she was done explaining.

"He wanted something more and I could tell, but I didn't want that, and I told him. In the end he understood" she finished. She could feel Tony's hand playing with the shirt at the side of her ribs.

"In the end?" he asked. His voice had gone a lot quieter and softer.

"Yes. He thought there was someone else who was holding me back from spending the night with him" she explained. His eyes dropped from hers to his lap.

"Is there?" he asked. She took the fact he was avoiding her eyes as a sign that if there was someone else he really didn't want to face the truth that would be in her eyes.

"Yes, sort of" she replied. His hand stilled at her side.

"Sort of?" he asked, still avoiding her eyes. She threaded her hand into his hair and lifted his gaze to meet her eyes. There was disappointment within those bright green eyes.

"There is this thing where I don't know if I can be dedicated to another man when I am so close to you. If I was to be with someone I couldn't be how I am with you, like last night, like this, right now. And I don't think I want to lose that" she whispered as she stared right into his eyes.

He got it, what she was talking about. What they had wasn't really normal and the things they had began to do lately, the closeness, when they go out for dinner at night just the two of them, the moments they spend alone at his watching movies all Saturday in their sleepwear when she crashes on his couch the night before, how comfortable they are with each other, how _too_ comfortable they are with each other. He got it.

What they had was deeper than they should, they were closer than friends and they hadn't even realized it, they just hadn't done anything about it yet. And he got the fact that if she were to be with another guy, if she were to get in a relationship with someone, they couldn't have that. They couldn't have that relationship they do now. She didn't want to lose that. Neither did he.

She leant her head forward slightly and her face moved closer to his. He could feel that vibe coming from her that had been different lately and all those times they had felt it they hadn't acted on it. They had pulled back. But he couldn't do that anymore, he wanted to kiss her.

His hand moved on her waist and pulled her slightly closer. The look he was giving her right now made her heart beat faster, anticipation for something she had wanted for a long, long time. And when his lips brushed hers butterflies filled her stomach and she gripped his hair slightly, kissing him back.

His lips were as soft as she remembered them, but this time, this time the way he kissed her was so much different to that time they were undercover. This felt real, this felt full of emotion. She moved, lifting one of her legs over both of his and sitting herself on his thighs so she could kiss him better and wasn't on a weird angle. He only kissed her stronger. She never wanted to stop kissing him, ever. He was a very kissable man, he knew exactly what to do with his mouth when he wasn't talking.

His hands found their way to rest at the small of her back, softy running across her body. Her hands were both in his hair by now, lightly trailing her fingers back and forth. When his tongue swept its way into her mouth she got a rush of gooseflesh across her skin as his tongue tangled with hers. The feeling of him was everything in this moment.

His hands slowly burrowed their way under the hem of her shirt, skimming up her sides and back down again. The skin under his hands was soft at the touch and warm. When he dragged his thumbs across the dip in her hipbones on the front of her body he heard a small whimper escape her mouth and vibrate into his. God, the things she does to him at a simple sound like that.

He dragged her closer to his chest and the weight of her against him like that sent shivers of want down his spine. Why had he held himself back from her for so long? She moved above him, getting comfortable and she pressed herself right against him then, he thought he might come apart at the sensation of it mixed with the way she was kissing him and the way her hands roamed his hair like she owned him. If she wanted she could have him, she always could.

Her lips parted from his and her deep breaths fanned against the skin of his neck where she had moved her face. Her nose ran gently up the side of the skin there and he was itching to touch some more of her skin. Then she voiced something she needed to.

"Tony, are you sure about this?" she asked, running her hands through the back of his hair.

"Yes. Are you sure?" he asked in return. He pulled back slightly and locked his eyes with hers.

"Yes" she whispered. He brought his hand up to the side of her cheek and stared into her eyes. His heart was racing and this was one moment in his life where he felt the strings of his heart pull stronger than they ever had when he was sharing a moment like this with someone. Ziva was different, she made him feel things he never thought before possible. She made his heart skip a beat when she leant in again and kissed him softly.

His hands were on fire as he ran them across her bare heated back. They hadn't really needed to fix the heater tonight, they had each other. And she was gentle as she gripped his shirt in her hands and slowly lifted it over his head, smiling at him as they broke apart from the kiss. Really, nothing could get any better than her. And after this night that they share together, things will be different. But they will be a good different.

This night had been a long time coming for them, they have held back so many times over the past six years of being partners. This was truly inevitable. He was just glad that the time they had done it wasn't because the other was leaving, not because they needed any sort of release, not because they just snapped and wanted it, not just because.

It was because they wanted each other, because they were finally so comfortable with each other that the next step in their friendship was to take it further than a friendship. And they were both ready to do that. This was at a comfortable moment in their lives _together_. This was something so powerfully beautiful between them it almost made his heart stop when he finally joined and became one with her.

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><p><strong>;)<strong>

**Hundan**


	8. Chapter 8

**Wow, wow, wow, the response to the last chapter was amazing. I am glad you liked the events of the chapter. On with the next one :)**

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><p>Waking with her in his arms like he was, his arms wrapped around her from behind as his chest pressed to her back, was so heart warming. Even though the alarm next to the bed was going off to wake them up when he would rather stay in bed with her all day, it was still the best morning in his life. He had made love to her last night and it was the most amazing thing he had ever experienced. He had no regrets whatsoever.<p>

He reached out his arm and pressed the alarm clock, stopping the blaring wake tone. As he did he felt Ziva move in his arms, when he turned back from the clock she was facing him, smiling at him. She didn't have any regrets either.

"Good morning" he whispered as he brought his hand up to the side of her face, tucking the loose strands of her curly hair behind her ear. She closed her eyes at the soft touch of his hand in her hair.

"Good morning, Tony" she whispered in reply. Opening her eyes again to look up at him, smile at him again. If what happened last night made her smile like this at him, he wanted to do it every chance he got. He leant down closer to her, judging her thoughts on what she would do if he kissed her right now. He didn't make it all the way though, she moved and met his lips before he reached her.

The kiss was soft, loving. He couldn't ask for anything more. He loved the way she made his heart flutter in his chest like this. When they pulled back she gently ran her hand down his chest.

"I think we better get up" she stated. And yeah, he knew that she was right. Evans or Edwards would be here to pick them up in just under an hour. He nodded at Ziva while he gave her a soft smile and right before they let go of each other he leant down and gave her one more lingering kiss. After just one night he was already addicted to her kiss. She chuckled as she leant back, knowing that if it was his choice they would stay in bed all day and repeat again what happened last night.

She too would very much like that but, they had a job to do. And as soon as this job was done they could go home, and hopefully be able to spend a whole day together just staying in bed. If they were lucky enough to have a day off, but she doubted it, knowing Gibbs they wouldn't get their much need weekend break till the following weekend and it was only Tuesday. But she was ok with that, she had a feeling Tony wasn't going anywhere. She certainly wasn't.

She was first to have a quick shower that morning and when she came out she smiled at the sight of him jogging in the front door with breakfast in hand. What would she really do without him? On his way passed her to the shower he handed her the breakfast he had just run down to get while stealing a few kisses, it was intended to be one but he couldn't help himself.

When he walked out of the shower he was the one who had to smile. There Ziva stood, dressed and ready for the day while she ironed his shirt and pants. In his mind he couldn't help but think how domestic they already were. Maybe that's what six years of partnership did to you. He hadn't really noticed it until this morning but maybe that's because of what they shared last night, because last night things were changed and domestic was the type of thing their new relationship would lead to.

They haven't discussed what it is they are really doing, they haven't discussed feelings yet. So far that was the easy way. But standing here in his boxers and socks, seeing her smile at him while she ironed his pants, he couldn't help but picture them living together one day in the future. In a house together. They were both looking for something permanent after all.

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><p>After they had interrogated Bobby Grey the other day they had, again, come up with nothing. Grey had an alibi for the night of all the murders and he just didn't fit the rest of the bill. But somehow evidence of Grey's DNA was found at the crime scene, when they found one of his hairs. Grey was let go, for now. Edwards had made sure one of his patrol men watched his movements.<p>

The four of them sat at the big table in the office, papers spread all over the place as they went over everything again and again, there was something they had missed and they were determined to find it and catch the murderer of this damn thing. Tony had just finished reading over Grey's client list as he now went over the statement they had from the woman Ziva had talked to the other day, Sarah Grover.

He was just about to pick up another paper file when something caught his attention. One of Grey's clients last week was a man named Joe Lockwood, and in Sarah's statement she talks about her ex-boyfriend Joe Lockwood. In the beginning her statement about her boyfriend hadn't really meant anything, she only said how he had been showing up randomly out of no where and trying to get back with her. Ziva had taken the interview so they guessed Sarah was trying to have some sort of 'girly chat' with Ziva.

"I think I have something" Tony stated. Everyone lifted their heads from the papers they had been reading and looked to him.

"Joe Lockwood is Sarah Grover's ex-boyfriend and he was one of Grey's clients last week. I have this thing where I don't believe in coincidences" Tony stated. He looked over to Ziva to find her smiling, she didn't believe in them either. It probably had something to do with the Gibbs team neutral agreement that you don't believe in coincidences.

"I think we should bring Sarah back in to ask her about her ex" Edwards announced. Everyone agreed.

Tony, Evans and Edwards all stood in the interrogation viewing room as they watched Ziva seat Sarah in one of the chairs in interrogation. This was more of an interview rather than an interrogation though.

"Thank you for coming back in Sarah, we do really appreciate the help" Ziva stated as she walked around to sit in her own chair.

"No, no it is ok, I am glad I can help" the twenty four year old red haired and green eyed young bar waitress replied, waving her hands around in enthusiasm.

"We just have a few things we need to ask you about" Ziva began, when Sarah nodded Ziva continued "You said last time we talked something about your ex-boyfriend Joe Lockwood? And that he had been acting strange lately is that correct?" Ziva asked.

"Well yeah, he has been acting weird. I mean he was always a bit weird but lately he has been really strange, sort of clingy almost. He's always waits for me outside work in the car park, it's starting to freak me out now that I think of it" Sarah replied, furrowing her brow in confusion. Ziva jotted it down. This guy Joe was starting to sound very strange.

"When was the last time you saw him?" Ziva asked. Sarah tapped her finger on her lip.

"Umm, not last night but the night before. I saw him in the car park when I was leaving the bar with Jack" Sarah stated. Ziva looked up from her notebook. Did she just say Jack? Tony, Edwards and Evans were all thinking the same thing. Jack Hall had been the second victim.

"Jack…?" Ziva replied. Sarah looked up at her and sent a beaming smile.

"Jack Hall. He's so sweet, I met him at the bar the other night and I took him back to mine for a few drinks" Sarah continued to smile.

Edwards turned to face Tony and Evans in the viewing room.

"There is definitely something going on with this Joe guy. By the sounds of things he has an unhealthy attachment to Sarah. He may be showing some obsessive jealously over Sarah. With Sarah being with the second victim and the last one he may be or guy" Edwards explained.

"Targeting the men Sarah is with, he is jealous they are not him. I have seen it before" Tony replied.

"I wonder if she knows the first victim" Evans announced. They all turned back to see Ziva pulling out a photo of the first victim, Kade Wales. Like Ziva had read their minds.

"Do you know this marine? Kade Wales?" Ziva asked, showing Sarah the picture. Sarah picked up the photo, examining it.

"I…I think I do know him, yeah" she said tapping the photo with her finger "I didn't sleep with this guy, I didn't actually know his name, but he was the guy I made out with in the backroom of the bar a little while ago" she said. This bartender obviously spent her free time in the bar as well, having a very good time. She definitely got around, especially with marines. And considering she works at the bar popular with marines it would make sense.

Ziva was fully convinced that Sarah wasn't involved in the murders but she was sure the murders had something to do with the people she was hooking up with and this Joe Lockwood guy sounded like he was fitting that part of psycho stalker ex-boyfriend.

"I'm sorry but I have some bad news Sarah" Ziva announced.

Sarah had been rightfully upset that the last three men she had hooked up with had been murdered. And Ziva never really liked dealing with crying women. Sure she had gotten better over the years at it because Gibbs had pretty much forced her to take those sorts of things, probably because he knew she hated it. But it still wasn't something that was high on her list of things she liked doing.

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><p>The four of them got ready to raid Lockwood's house. They had pulled up just down the street from his home and all climbed out. It was snowing slightly and it was cold out today. Tony and Ziva went through the neighbor's yard and went around to the back of Lockwood's house while Evans and Edwards took the front. As soon as Tony heard Edwards whisper in his communication earpiece that they were ready he whispered back with they same reply.<p>

He took a step back and pulling his leg up and crashing down onto the wooden back door it burst open. Ziva went inside and he followed right behind, on her six. They cleared the first room and she fanned off to the room to the right and him to the left. Calling out, clear and clear. They heard Edwards and Evans call 'clear' from their rooms towards the other side of the house.

"Federal agents, you're under arrest! Don't move! Put the weapon down!" Tony heard Ziva's voice ring throughout the house. He rushed towards her voice and found her standing in the kitchen with her weapon aimed at Lockwood as he held a large kitchen knife in his hand, towards her with intent. Tony took his place to the side and just behind Ziva, back up position, and raised his weapon at Lockwood.

"Joe, put the weapon down or we will shoot" Tony stated. There was a twitch in Lockwood's eyes and Tony had a feeling he wasn't going to listen. But before Tony could say another word Joe had stepped forward with bodily harm to Ziva in his mind. And before Joe could even get there Ziva had lowered her weapon slightly and shot him in the leg. Joe fell to the ground with a cry as he clutched his leg.

"You bitch, you shot me!" Joe exclaimed. He obviously didn't believe Ziva was actually going to shoot him. Too bad Joe didn't know Ziva like Tony did.

"You were given fair warning Lockwood, you were the one who decided to go against what my partner said" Ziva replied as she kicked the knife away from Lockwood's reach as Tony bent down to handcuff him when Evans and Edwards arrived from where they had gone upstairs. Edwards helped Tony lift Lockwood up while he told Evans to call an ambulance.

After searching Lockwood's home they had found the murder weapon he had used on each kill and Grey's hair had been in Lockwood's car from when Grey had done work on it. They had also found a very disturbing room full with photos of Sarah. After interrogation Lockwood they had come to the conclusion that Lockwood had been obsessed with Sarah, he wanted Sarah and every man she slept with was in his way of finally getting her back. So, in his mind the best thing to do was to take out that competition. And when asked why he cut the victims hands off he simply stated that those hands weren't allowed to touch his woman.

It wasn't a very good plan to get Sarah back. He couldn't get Sarah back if he was in prison the rest of his life for murder and who would take back a serial killer ex-boyfriend who killed any other guy you hooked up with? Sometimes Tony wondered if the world had really gone mad. He also wondered how he was still sane after everything he saw in his line of work.

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><p>They had just finished the last of the paperwork as of seven that night and Tony picked up his phone to call Gibbs. After two rings he picked up.<p>

"Gibbs" his boss stated.

"It's DiNozzo" Tony replied.

"Solved that case yet DiNozzo?" Gibbs asked. Tony knew that Gibbs hadn't liked the fact Vance had taken two of his team members away when they were still working on a case.

"Yes, actually we did. Turns out an obsessive ex-boyfriend was killing the guys his ex-girlfriend was taking home from the popular marine bar" Tony replied, feeling slightly proud to have this case solved and all wrapped up.

"I'll get McGee to book you the next flight out of Alaska" Gibbs stated. This was Tony's moment, if he wanted that extra night at the hotel to benefit him and Ziva this was the time to turn up the charm.

"Actually boss I was thinking we should catch a flight tomorrow, there's some paperwork and things we need to finish up and Ziva looks like she's just about to drop on the floor and sleep there, you know how she is with the cold weather, it makes her tired" Tony explained, hoping the little thing about Ziva would have his boss agreeing. He knew Gibbs was a softy sometimes when it came to Ziva. It was Tony's best bet at making this work. And Tony could almost hear his boss thinking about it over the phone.

"McGee's got you a flight out of Alaska at midday tomorrow, make the most of your few hours you have in Alaska, you wont get off work until the weekend" Gibbs announced. Maybe Gibbs knew Tony better than he thought he did, he had picked up on his lie after all. But the boss had still given him the night free in Alaska, he should be thankful. The boss man was being generous today. Maybe McGee had kept him in a good mood while they had been gone.

"Thanks boss. I'll see you tomorrow then" Tony replied. He got a grunt in reply and then the line was dead. Even if Gibbs was in a good mood, he was still Gibbs.

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><p>Walking back into the office where the last box of evidence was just being packed away Tony announced.<p>

"So, who's up for a few end of case drinks tonight?" he stated. Three pairs of eyes looked up to him at the announcement. Ziva's were confused, she was sure they would be catching the next possible flight home.

"We're not flying back tonight?" she asked. He gave her a beaming smile.

"Nope, I managed to con Gibbs into letting us have the midday flight out tomorrow" Tony replied, he was happy he had. Ziva however turned suspicious. But even though she was suspicious she still had a smirk on her lips.

"And how exactly did you do that?" she asked. She was sure Gibbs wouldn't just let Tony have a whole night off in Alaska that easy.

"Pure charm Zi" Tony replied. She laughed at him. Tony's charm sometimes worked on her but it did _not_ work on their fearless leader. He faltered under her laugh.

"Ok, so maybe I might have said something about you being over tired and there was paperwork that still needed doing" he explained. She gaped at him. Still she had a twinkle of amusement in her eyes.

"You did not blame this on me did you?" she exclaimed. Faking an angry glare in his direction.

"Don't worry sweet cheeks he saw right through the lie anyways, McGee must be good at keeping the coffee in constant supply" he smiled. She laughed softly at that but couldn't help think that their boss had gotten slightly softer over the years. Things had become much more paternal in Gibbs towards them as the years grew.

"Definitely up for getting a drink or two then" she replied. He could always count on his ninja to join him out. He turned to Edwards and Evans with a raised eyebrow.

"How about it? I don't know if you guys go bowling after a hard case or fishing or something but we always enjoy a beer or two" Tony said. He wouldn't mind if they didn't want to come, that meant he was able to go out with just Ziva. But he didn't mind if they did come, they were both nice guys and now that Ziva had shared his bed with unvoiced promise in her eyes that there would be welcomed sharing of her bed back in DC, he didn't see Evans as any sort of threat now.

"Yeah, I guess the wife wouldn't mind if I was home late one more night" Edwards announced.

"Great. Come on Evans, you too" Tony smiled across at him. Evans was surprised to find the older agent wanting him to come, most of the time Tony had been here he had been keeping a watchful eye over his approaches on Ziva. Evans could tell Tony was annoyed by him flirting with his partner. Maybe something had happened last night when Ziva had gone home to Tony at the hotel instead of home with him.

But he was over it now, he knew there was something between Tony and Ziva and he wasn't going to step on anyone's toes, there were plenty of other women for him. Whatever Tony and Ziva had going on was much more serious than what he ever wanted from Ziva.

"Alright I'll join you guys for a beer" Evans smiled in reply.

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><p>The four law enforcement officers shared a booth towards the back of the lively Anchorage bar that night. The one light bulb hanging above them lit the table up as their laughter filled the air. Grabbing a beer with Evans and Edwards had been a good idea after all. Tony was very much enjoying the company of the relaxed and laid back detectives, not as much as the woman laughing at his side though.<p>

"I actually stood up and just left, it was too much for me" Evans stated. He was talking about the blind date Edwards had set him up on. Evans can't stand little dogs and so Edwards had decided to send a woman with a little dog in her purse. Things apparently didn't go well.

"Hey come on, she was a nice girl!" Edwards protested, trying not to laugh.

"Yeah, but the dog, come one, you do not put dogs in a purse and bring them on a date. I'm sorry but I just couldn't do it" Evans replied. They were all laughing and Tony could feel Ziva laughing next to him, her shoulder was bumping against his slightly and her leg was nudging his. She was pretty much pressed into his side, he loved how close she was. Edwards began explaining something else but Tony wasn't really paying much attention.

His attention had gone to Ziva next to him. He watched her as she listened to Edwards' story, her eyes were sparkling with that joy, she was happy right now. And he loved seeing her like this, he couldn't express enough how much he enjoyed the time he had with her outside of work. Every time she smiled like she was now, the ones that reached her eyes and brought a warm colour to her cheeks, those were the ones he loved.

When she smiled like that she looked so much younger and so happy. Like she didn't deal with death on a daily basis and that she didn't sometimes struggle so hard she felt like giving up on her work. After Franks' death he knew that things got to her. And normally she bottled it all up, but that time she had let him in, she couldn't take it without his comfort. He wouldn't blame her for struggling. She's had a hard life. It has never been easy for her, she grew up with death. He knew that Tali was where it had all began.

But she would never give up on her work, not when she had spent so much trying to get to where she was, what she had become. An American, a NCIS special agent. She wasn't just an Israeli liaison officer for Mossad anymore. She had left that all behind for a life and future in America. Somewhere safe, somewhere where she couldn't be taken away from Gibbs, Abby, McGee, Ducky and _him_ anymore. And she had given up so much for that change.

The one thing that helps her when she struggles was for someone to be there for her. She really struggles when she's alone. Ray he hadn't been good enough. When Ziva had been taken by the same man who had taken Franks from their lives it hit her hard, and Tony was the one there for her, to pick up the pieces that Ray couldn't handle. Tony was always there for her when she needed it the most. And now, now he wasn't going anywhere.

Maybe now that he was there at her side and wasn't going to let her go she wouldn't struggle as much. Maybe she'll find it easy when she has someone to depend on, not just inside of work but outside of work. He had definitely felt the ease that spending all that time with her outside of work had begun to do. Ever since Ray had gone and she spent a lot of time outside of work with him he had felt how much easier work had been. How relaxed he would be just by spending time outside of work with her.

He wondered what it would be like now things had changed, now that they had breached that step of more than friends. He was sure he was going to be happier and more relaxed than he had ever been. He had the start of something he had been wanting, something permanent, something with _her_.

Speaking of Ziva, her eyes turned to face him right then, a smile gracing her lips. She must have felt him watching her and maybe she could even hear him thinking about her. She knew everything, he wouldn't put it passed her. He could hear Edwards' voice ringing in the background somewhere still but he was more focused on the way his partner was looking at him right now. Her face, her eyes, they were just so open.

Six months ago they wouldn't be this open. He had only ever seen her this open on rare occasions when moments between them were so strong. The past few months he had seen it a bit more. And in these past few weeks it had gotten even more occurring. And now, after last night, what they shared, he felt like she was always open to him. She didn't need to hide anything anymore.

He was staring and she was staring, they didn't really care who saw. He felt her hand touch his knee underneath the table, running it softly over his leg and moving herself a slight bit closer. He smiled at her. She looked beautiful tonight. Maybe she just looked beautiful every time he saw her. He slipped his hand under the table and found hers, threading his fingers between her smaller ones. She smiled back.

"Another round?" Tony stated, turning his head away from Ziva's gaze and looking at the two men across the table who were still chatting away. Maybe they had had too much beer to realize that they didn't have Tony and Ziva's full attention. Either way they didn't seem to notice.

"Yes" Evans grinned. An eager man on the hunt for more ale that he was, Evans shot out of his side of the booth. Tony looked down at Ziva and gave her hand a gentle squeeze before letting go and following Evans towards the bar. Evans was going to need more hands to help.

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><p>"Tony" Ziva warned. Tony stopped mid suck on the straw of <em>her<em> girly cocktail drink.

"What?" he asked, lifting his eyes across to her. She had one eyebrow raised and the side of her mouth twitched, wanting to smile.

"I thought that was my drink?" she asked, leaning over and placing her hand over his one that held the straw.

"Yeah…" he said at length, grinning at her. She chuckled, taking the straw from his grasp and pulling her drink back across to her.

"You are lucky McGee is not here to see you drink it, you are always giving him crap for drinking these" she stated, taking a drink herself.

"This is totally different" Tony protested, laughing softly at her confused frown.

"How is this different?" she asked. Tony leant in closer to her, his warm breath fanning on her lips.

"Because McCocktail buys the drink for himself, I am merely stealing a sip of yours" he replied, staring at her lips.

"That is no different" she stated, staring at his lips. God, she wanted to kiss him right now. Lucky Edwards and Evans weren't at the table right in this moment. They were much too close to be considered friendly. Tony brought his hand to the side of her face, threading his hand into her soft toffee brown curls and locking eyes with her.

"You look beautiful tonight, have I told you that yet?" he whispered. He could see her cheeks tinge with a slight pink.

"No, you have not" she smiled in return.

"Well you do, you look absolutely beautiful" he commented. The fact she was only wearing her normal cargo pants and a button down shirt made her pink cheeks deepen in colour. He loved her for who she was, she didn't need to dress up for him to think she's beautiful. Leaning in even closer she whispered back.

"Thank you" she murmured against his lips. He kissed her softly, living in the moment that was simply her kiss. He had wanted to do this all day. He was going to keep kissing her, he didn't want to stop, but he could hear Evans' drunken state approaching by the loud explanation of something he was saying to Edwards. Tony pulled back and smiled down at Ziva.

He leant back, giving them some normal distance just as Evans and Edwards slid into the other side of the booth.

"I got her number!" Evans exclaimed waving his hand which had a number written in black pen across it. Tony knew from previous experience that that number would be half gone by the time Evans resurfaced tomorrow. Never write anything on the palm of your hand with pen when you're drunk. It'll likely been rubbed off in the morning from spilt beer and sweaty hands. Tony just figured he would leave the man to experience this the hard way, if you don't learn the first time how will you remember the second time?

Edwards was laughing as he pulled Evans' hand down from where it was flying about.

"We get it trooper, you got her number" Edwards chuckled, Tony and Ziva couldn't help but join in. Tony picked up his beer and leant back in the seat, as he did he lifted his arm onto the back of the seat behind Ziva. The grin she sent him meant she realized what he was doing. And after he turned back to Edwards and Evans and started a conversation, they didn't seem to realize where his arm had moved itself.

A short while later his arm slipped around her shoulders. Not really caring what Evans and Edwards thought by that point. He was enjoying his night, why keep his hands to himself when Ziva welcomed them?

At the point when Ziva's eyes got heavy and Tony felt her rest her head against his shoulder as she began to slow down for the night and Evans had just fallen over on the ground when he tried to stand out of the booth and tripped on nothing, Tony and Edwards had shared a look. Time to pack it in for the night.

Edwards and Tony managed to help Evans walk outside of the bar and push him into the backseat of a taxi.

"You guys want me to take you down to the airport tomorrow?" Edwards asked before he climbed in the taxi with his partner. Someone had to make sure he got home to bed safe.

"Yeah, we would really appreciate that Scott" Tony replied. He actually wanted to say a proper goodbye to the two detectives when they were all sober. Right now Evans didn't look like he could form a coherent thought.

"Ok, I'll call you guys tomorrow" Edwards stated before climbing into the taxi.

"Get home safe" Tony stated before closing the door of the taxi. As Edwards' taxi pulled away their one pulled up into its empty spot. Tony opened the door for Ziva who smiled as she gently ran her hand across his chest and then slid into the backseat. Tony followed right behind her. Tony and Ziva both weren't necessarily shy people so they didn't really care if the taxi driver saw as Tony captured Ziva's mouth with his. They had waited all day for this and so they didn't let go of each other until the taxi stopped outside their hotel.

They just couldn't get enough of each other.

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><p><strong>Longest chapter yet, I hope you enjoyed it!<strong>

**Hundan**


	9. Chapter 9

**Thank you all for the reviews. Here is the next chapter.**

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><p>First she thought she was in the middle of a dream when she felt soft warm kisses pressing a trail up her back and over her shoulder, then she realized she wasn't dreaming. The kisses had woken her from her dream, but she hadn't really cared. The reality was much better than her dream right now. She knew who it was that owned the lips that caressed her skin, Tony. She realized that morning that she wouldn't prefer anyone else to kiss her like this more than she loved her partner too.<p>

She was lying on her stomach and she could feel both of his hands gently trailing her waist as he laid kisses across her skin. If she could wake up to this every single morning, she would be a very happy woman. She turned her face to the side and opening her eyes, she could see him lift his head and smile down at her. Before she could mumble out a good morning his warm lips were gently pressing into hers. Yes, this man _really_ knew how to say good morning in all the right ways without words.

And she kissed him right back, even at this weird angle she was in love with this kiss. She was just in love with all the kisses he graced her with. She wondered why she had held back from him so long, she couldn't get enough now she had him. And she knows they haven't really discussed with words what was going on between them. They both never really shared their true feelings for each other. They had spent so many years holding back from sharing them.

But now that things were different between them, what they have shared, things may need to change. Things like feelings will need to be voice rather then kept hidden if they wanted this relationship they have opened to work and last a long time. Something they both want, and only the other knew about, was that they wanted something permanent. They are both in a time in their lives when they wanted to settle down with someone, share love with one person for years to come.

Maybe it was some sort of fate that they both wanted the same thing at the same time in their lives, maybe it was meant to be. But really, Ziva didn't believe much in fate and sorts, she believed that certain moments in life if you know something is good for you, something you want to hold onto is right there in front of you, you take it and don't let go. You work for what you want in life, it doesn't just come to you on a silver platter.

And she and Tony have held onto and been working on their relationship for a very long time. Maybe too long, and maybe at one point a few months back when she had Ray and he had EJ, she thought their moment had disappeared, it had faded away and they had missed their chance at having something between them. But now, she has different thoughts on that.

They had their chance now, they hadn't missed anything, and they had finally taken the first step into that chance. They had shared the physical love and lust they had for each other over the years, and that was only the beginning of what she hoped would come. There would be some point, maybe very soon, that some feelings would be voiced. It would be inevitable with them returning back to DC. Things will need to be justified. When they returned back home they will both want to know 'where do we go from here?'

She couldn't help but follow his lead when he rolled her gently onto her back. Right now she couldn't really remember what happened last night when they got home from the bar but she still had her underwear on and he had his boxers on, from what she could feel when he slipped a leg between hers, so she guessed they hadn't got further then a half naked make out session if they did do anything.

She kissed him a bit stronger, joining her tongue with his, as he pressed into her more. She was a bit smaller than him but she really loved his weight on her like this. She loves Tony's body, he wasn't all hard muscled, he was fit with a slight bit of weight to him, he was soft. She loved that about him, she always had. And she loved his soft chest hair, especially when it touched her naked chest. God, she wanted him now. He was so good at making her go all warm with that want for him.

Even though they had all morning to spend in Alaska, they spent at least half of that free time in the hotel, in bed together. And they wouldn't have spent it any other way if given the choice again. They would have done exactly the same thing with their morning.

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><p>Something about the sex with Tony like they had that morning had left her refreshed, happy and brightly awake. She knew it was like that with other guys too but there was just something different about the way it felt with Tony that made her heart flutter in her chest. What they shared wasn't just sex, it was love.<p>

The way he touched his lips to her neck so softly it made her giggle, the way he moved his hands across her naked skin giving her a shiver down her spine. That moment she didn't really care when he gave her a small love bite on the dip of her shoulder and her neck, and then he happily let her return one. The way he whispered her name against her skin, the way he fit so perfectly with her. The way he left her relaxed and satisfied after he gave her what she really wanted.

And she couldn't keep the smile off her face as she thought about it. No matter how annoying he may have been over the years, he was definitely what she really needed in life. Out of work she knew that other side of him and she was glad she had gotten to know the personal side of Tony and not just the work side. She remembers the first time they began their friendship out of work, when Gibbs had retired. She taught him some cooking skills and refreshed his piano playing memory. He shared his movie knowledge and she really got to see the happy fun side of Tony in everything he showed her and took her to see in DC.

He was funny and liked to play jokes at work but out of work it was sort of different. He was still funny and played jokes on her but when he did it when he was alone with her it was special in a way, it made her heart rate jump at the way he looked at her and the way he smiled. It was so much more personal. She knows that that was where the true bond between them had all begun.

"Penny for your thoughts?" Tony whispered against her neck followed by the press of his lips as he wrapped his arms around her from behind. She could smell the shampoo and shaving cream still on him as he came up behind her after his shower. She hadn't realized she had been standing there staring into space when she was meant to be packing her bag.

"I do not want a penny" she replied. Why would he pay for her thoughts anyways? She brought her hands down atop of his and threaded them together. She could feel him smile against her neck.

"It's a saying Zi, it means I would like to know what you are thinking" he stated, kissing her neck softly again before resting his chin on her shoulder and pulling her closer to his chest.

"Just things, mainly about you" she replied, knowing that would get him interested.

"Yeah?" he asked, very intrigued. She knew him too well. She chuckled lightly and pulled out of the embrace. She turned around and kissed his lips.

"We have to finish packing so we can go for a late breakfast, and if you are lucky I will share my thoughts with you then" she smiled down up at him, she could see that twinkle of interest in his eyes.

"Alright then" he said with a grin. He didn't hesitate in going to pack the rest of his things, he really wanted to share a nice breakfast with her here in Alaska before they went home to DC and they had already spent a good half of the morning in bed. Time was ticking away, they were getting picked up at half eleven and it was already almost ten.

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><p>They sat inside a nice little restaurant at a window table. It was softly snowing outside and Ziva was gazing out the window with a smile as she drank her tea. This was the first time she had had free moment to actually just sit and watch the snow. Even though she hated the cold, she loved the snow. She thought it was absolutely beautiful. Tony sat there with his coffee as he let the two lots of pancakes he had for breakfast digest.<p>

The sight he had he thought was the most beautiful. He wasn't looking out the window at the snow, he was sitting there gazing at Ziva as she looked at the snow. She was truly beautiful. The past few days had meant so much to him, not so much the murder case and everything, but he and Ziva's relationship. They had finally done something about the way they felt, maybe not said anything yet, but they had done _something_.

And the way she kissed him, touched him. It all made his heart lighten in his chest. He loved what they had, the freedom he had to kiss her and hold her close, say her name like she was his and only his. He never wanted that feeling to stop.

"So, what was it you were thinking this morning?" he asked. He watched her smile out the window before turning the smile to him.

"Things about you" her smile deepened. His did too.

"Yeah, I know that part. What about me?" he asked, waggling his eyebrows at her. She chuckled lightly before smiling softer at him and giving him a certain look in her eyes that meant what she was about to say was on the deeper serious side of things. And right now he welcomed it, he wanted to know what she was feeling, in more than her touch and her looks. He wanted to hear it from her mouth.

"About this morning, yesterday, when Gibbs retired" she replied, holding his gaze. He knew that when Gibbs retired it was a point in their lives when they went from co-workers to friends. It's when their partnership molded and they became a single working unit. They got each other. And it was because of the time they had spent out of work as friends.

"You think about that a lot?" he asked, getting serious. Today, this conversation, it wasn't for funny Tony, he knew Ziva wanted the serious Tony. She shrugged.

"Sometimes, I mean when we used to have those times where it's hard to remember that spark we used to have I did. But now, with what's happened, I like to think back and remember where or friendship had really begun" she admitted, keeping her eyes locked on his the whole time. She wasn't afraid to be admitting these things with him. It was easier to be more personal with each other now, after what they had shared together.

"I used to think that we had lost what we had" he said quietly. The look she was giving him, she agreed. She had thought that too at one point.

"I am glad we didn't" she replied. He found himself reaching across the table and gathering her smaller hand in his grasp.

"Me too" he smiled. She smiled right back. There was a moment then, where they just stared into each other eyes, not thinking anything, just living in the moment they were having together.

"Where do we go from here Tony?" she asked, breaking the silence. It was on her mind and it was also on his. It was something they both knew needed addressing. He ran his thumb back and forth across her knuckles.

"I would really like to give this a go, us" he began "And I'm not going to do a half assed attempt at this like I have many times with women over the years, I am really going to give my all into this. You're not just anyone Ziva, your special, what we have is special and I want it to work. I want it to last" he stated, bringing out the honesty. He wanted her to know he was going to fight for this as much as he could. He was _serious _about what they were starting. Tony had only ever been serious with two women in his life, one was a mistake, the other was a hard loss for him. Jeanne, she had been his mistake, he hadn't meant to fall for her like he did, be so committed. Maybe he was blinded by something he wanted so bad that it felt right. Whatever it was, he knew it was a mistake, it damaged his heart and it took him a while to heal.

The other was Wendy, his high school music teacher. Of course she wasn't his teacher at the time, it was well after he had left high school. He had seen her one day, they had talked, met up again, and then again and again. Things grew and then had become serious. She was the first serious relationship he had ever had. It had been a hard loss for him when he came home early to surprise her and found her in bed with her ex-husband. That had crushed him. He had given up on love after that, never being serious about a woman until Jeanne had come around.

But right now, this thing with Ziva, he was so confident with where this could go. They wouldn't risk doing this as partners if it wasn't serious like it was. He'd had small heartbreak from Ziva before, well not really her herself but the thought of her death. He'd grown from that when he found her alive in that cell, he was determined to make things right between them. He knew that everything they had ever been through together had only made their relationship that much stronger.

Ziva moved her hand in his, threading her fingers between his.

"You're not just anyone to me also Tony and I would very much like what we have started to work out. Over the years I have realized that what we have is different than anyone else I have ever been with, we have history, and that history is what makes us so strong together. For a long time now I've know that I have cared for you deeply and I would like to keep doing so, and sharing it with you" she said. How long had she cared deeply for him? How long had he missed out on starting this because he had been too stupid to realize he actually had a chance if he just told her how he felt? He wasn't going to dwell on that now, he had her now. He tightened his hand around hers.

"I've cared for you for a very long time too" he admitted, smiling softly at her. She smiled right back. She felt like saying something right then but couldn't bring herself to do it. He could see it too, the need she had to say something. But he wasn't going to pressure her into anything, he too wanted to say the words from his heart but couldn't bring himself to do it just yet. Their time would come for that moment, he knew it. And he wouldn't lose her if he didn't say it just yet, because deep down she knew he did. She could feel it. And he could feel that she did too.

And walking out of the restaurant that morning he didn't hesitate one bit before slipping his hand into hers, lacing their fingers together as they did a short walk back to the hotel where Edwards would pick them up soon. And she rested her head on his shoulder when he did. This is what he had wanted, he was committed to someone, and that someone was his partner, Ziva. He let the smile grace his face at the thought. He was actually really happy about what he had with her in his life now. He finally had the start of a permanent relationship.

* * *

><p>"Thank you both, we had a good time while we've been up here, so thank you" Tony stated as they stood at the departures part of the airport with Evans and Edwards. Edwards held out his hand and Tony gave it a good shake.<p>

"You're welcome, thanks for your guys help on the case" Edwards replied, giving Tony a smile.

"Just doing the thing I do best, well second best, I actually-" Tony began before he was cut off by Ziva's chuckle as he was pushed slightly out of the way so she could give Edwards a friendly hug.

"I'm sure you don't want Tony's detailed explanation of the thing he does best, which I know he will say is women" Ziva stated playfully as she pulled back from the hug with Edwards. He and Evans chuckled at Ziva's statement. Ziva shot Tony a small smile, and yeah, he had actually found her reply funny too, because it is what he was going to say. Even if he was joking. She did really know him too well.

Tony watched as Ziva gave Evans a hug, he sort of felt a bit jealous in that moment. Sure Ziva was his pretty much now but he knew Evans had tried to get into her, he had kissed her after all. He watched the two of them whisper but couldn't hear what they had said.

Evans saw the way Tony was looking at him when he hugged Ziva. He took the hug as purely friendly but there was something different in the way Tony had looked at him in the jealous way that was different this time. He knew there was something more between them, he had noticed a small shift in their behavior on the ride to the airport. The deeper held stares, like they longed to kiss the other. Evans bent his head and whispered to Ziva.

"I am glad you two did something about it" he stated. She pulled back and looked up at him. She had a feeling she knew what he was getting at, and she was going to deny it, but in the end she didn't.

"Yes, as am I" she admitted. She could see his face falter slightly.

"I would like to thank you though James, that date you took me on was very lovely and you are very lovely, I do wish you luck for the future" she told him. She still felt a bit guilty for that night. He sent her a warm smile.

"You are welcome. I enjoyed it too. I wish you both the best of luck" he stated. She knew he wasn't too upset about what happened on their date. He was a good guy. She gave him another smile and a small nod before Tony stepped over and shook Evans hand.

"Thank you, it was a pleasure" Tony stated. Both men stared at the other. Silently they both knew about the others relationship with Ziva. Tony knew about the date and the kiss. Evans knew about Tony and Ziva's relationship. They gave each other a curt nod. Understanding.

"As it was for me, good to meet you" Evans replied. There was no battle over who got Ziva anymore, Evans had let the little fling go with Ziva and Tony had picked up a relationship with her. They understood each other now and they didn't have a grudge against the other man anymore.

"And take care of that eyebrow" Evans grinned. Tony chuckled softly. Finally Tony stepped back and smiled at the two Anchorage detectives.

"If you're ever in DC don't hesitate in giving us a call, no one knows the city better then yours truly" Tony stated. He heard Ziva laugh softly beside him. He was so full of it sometimes, but she did love that about him. He made her laugh.

"And if you're ever back in this icicle you know where to find us" Edwards smiled back. Tony was glad everything had ended on a good note, he had really enjoyed his time in Anchorage to say the least and Edwards and Evans were both really good guys. He may have been jealous at some point, well a few points in time, with Evans but he was over that. Evans was a good kid, a good detective. And like he said before, he reminded him a lot of himself. Tony had grown up, Evans would one day too.

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><p>This time on the plane she felt comfortable, she knew that again her partner was there for her, had her back. And she was grateful that they only got a row with two seats, they didn't have to share with a stranger this time. And instead of keeping that bit of distance like the flight over to Alaska they didn't keep as much room between them. He had gathered her hand in his and when she fell asleep this time she ended up leaning her head on his shoulder.<p>

He didn't sleep though. He could of, but he didn't. He knew that she didn't like plane rides where there were lots of people so he wouldn't mind staying awake if it made her feel a lot more safe and comfortable. He would really do anything for her. He had an in-flight movie so he was alright. He was sure he would get sleep when he got home tonight, and maybe if he was lucky Ziva would even join him there and he would sleep even better.

And when the flight attendant got to their row when she was serving dinner she asked what his girlfriend would like. He didn't correct her, he didn't have to. Ziva was his girlfriend now after all. He didn't know if that was the term he would use, he thought the term 'partner' had suited them well, work wise and relationship wise. He also didn't need to wake Ziva to ask her what she wanted, he knew. He always knew what her favourite food was. What her favourite everything was.

Maybe this relationship thing between them was going to be easy after all. He did know her better than anyone else. He knew what made her laugh, smile, what made her tick or get snappy. He knew what her favourite color was, her favourite music, food, movie, TV show. He knew what she liked to do for fun on the weekends in the winter in the summer. He knew her pet peeves, he knew her fears, her weaknesses. If there was one woman in the world he understood the best it was her.

And it was a grateful feeling to know you understood the woman you loved. More so that you had her back and she had yours. It wasn't hard to fall in love with someone you trusted with your life day in, day out.

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><p><strong>Hope you liked this one. I have one more chapter after this one :)<strong>

**Hundan**


	10. Chapter 10

**Last chapter guys :)**

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><p>It had just gotten dark in DC when Tony and Ziva arrived back at the NCIS building. Arriving on their floor most of the agents in the building were packing up for the night and heading home to their families. But not team Gibbs. They knew they would still be here. Team Gibbs was always the last to leave. Walking into the bullpen they saw McGee sitting at his desk typing away at warp speed. McGee lifted his head when they entered and smiled at the two as they put their bags behind their desks.<p>

"How was the trip?" McGee chirped. McNosey was always interested in knowing what happened on one of their little Tony-and-Ziva-only work trips. Maybe he was trying to find some sort of information or ideas for his next novel, he was the one who landed them with the one bed in Paris after all. Looks may be deceiving because McGee didn't look it but he was sneaky. And Tony was catching onto him.

"It was good, thank you for booking two beds this time Probie" Tony stated, grinning across at the McGee. Tony knew McGee wouldn't have gotten away with innocence if he booked them one bed again. McGee smiled back. Then he caught the site of Tony's stitches on his eyebrow and a slight bruise. He stood up and walked over to the front of Tony's desk, taking a better look.

"What happened to your eyebrow, you annoy Ziva?" McGee smirked, shooting a look back at Ziva before looking at Tony again "Moose, wild bear?" McGee added. Tony chuckled lightly at the probie's dig. Tony had really taught him well.

"Yeah, massive wild bear, took it head on to save Ziva over there. You should have seen me, I was like Jet Li from The One" Tony stated. The snort from Ziva's side of the bullpen earned her both of the male agent's sets of eyes on her. Tony raised his eyebrows at her, wanting her to play along with him.

"Oh yes, he was very Jet Li with the manly way he took down that bear" Ziva stated loudly, grinning. It was McGee's turn to laugh, they were both full of it.

"Ok, whatever you say" McGee replied, rolling his eyes and walking back to his desk.

"So, we got a case at the moment?" Tony asked, turning on his computer to check his emails.

"Na, we closed the case two days ago. Been quiet since then, just paperwork mainly" McGee explained. Tony nodded. If they didn't get a case in the next hour before six when Gibbs would let them off he would be able to get a good nights sleep tonight.

"How was that date of yours the other night?" Tony then asked. McGee looked up from his computer to look across at the older agent. He was sure Tony was about to make a joke or laugh about his date but the way Tony was looking at him wasn't like that, it was like he was actually interested.

"Um yeah it was nice" McGee replied, unsure if Tony was up to something.

"That's good. You gonna see her again?" Tony asked, giving him a genuine smile. Something was up with Tony. He was in one of those happy, relaxed moods. Had Alaska really been that great? Maybe they should send Tony there more if it meant he was like this.

"Yeah, tonight actually" McGee admitted, finding himself smiling as he opened up about his dating life. He could see Ziva was listening in but trying not to make it look like she was. The only thing that gave her away was the small smile she graced at hearing her two partners being open and serious about McGee's dating life. She also knew that _normally_ Tony liked to give McGee crap about his dating life.

"That's nice, I'm happy for you Tim" Tony replied. That was the end of McGee's tolerance for Tony's nice side, there was something wrong. Something hinky was going on.

"Ok, who are you and what have you done with DiNozzo?" McGee asked. Ziva chuckled slightly from her desk at McGee's reaction.

"Ziver what did you do with my senior agent?" Gibbs asked as he strolled into the bullpen. Tony froze, thinking his boss knew what had happened in Alaska with him and Ziva. Ziva however knew Gibbs didn't know anything and was just playing along with McGee's frustration at Tony's niceness. Rare for him but she had seen it a lot more in this past year.

"Set a wild bear on him, taught him to play nice" Ziva smirked at her boss. She was sure she saw a smile split his features for a millisecond, sure of it. Gibbs sat down at his computer and Tony let out a breath, just realizing his boss hadn't figured anything out.

"How's the eyebrow DiNozzo? Heard you decided against going to the hospital to get it fixed up" Gibbs stated, not once looking up from what he was doing at his desk. Tony felt McGee's eyes heavily on him.

"Wait if you didn't go to the hospital how did you get stitches?" McGee asked. It was then that Gibbs finally raised his eyes to his senior field agent. Of course Gibbs knew how he had got them, Edwards had explained in a worried manner on how it was pretty crazy. Gibbs knew Ziva knew her stuff, it wouldn't be much of a problem as long as his field agent kept his hands to himself, which by the perfection of his stitches Gibbs guessed he did. By god if Gibbs really knew the truth of that story he wouldn't be in the rare playful mood he was right now, it would definitely be serious and rule reminding Gibbs. Lucky he didn't really know then.

"Um, well…" Tony mumbled, turning his head to look at Ziva.

"Oh my god, you didn't let Ziva do it did you?" McGee exclaimed. That earned him a glare from Ziva.

"Not that there's anything wrong with what you did, I mean it's just you're not a doctor and I don't think I would let anyone but a doctor do that to me, especially on my face and-" he backpedaled.

"McGee, quit before you dig yourself into a deeper hole" Gibbs stated.

"Right boss" McGee replied. Ziva did get what McGee was getting at, she wasn't angry with him, it was just good to press his buttons sometimes.

"I would have thought you wouldn't trust Ziver with a needle by your face" Gibbs announced. Ok, as much as it was good to see a happy Gibbs it was scaring Tony somewhat, sort of like the way he was scaring McGee with his happy mood. Gibbs didn't have an explanation for why like Tony did.

"I wasn't awake for the procedure, bear knocked me out preeetttty good" Tony smirked, using a joke to dodge the real answer. He watched as his boss shook his head with a tiny smile and switched off his light.

"Go home, you two sleep off that jetlag and Tim, enjoy your date" Gibbs stated before disappearing somewhere for the night. Most likely somewhere in a basement involving a boat and bourbon. Ziva and McGee began packing up their things but Tony stayed put in his chair.

"I'll see you guys in the morning, just going to finish up all these emails" Tony announced, mainly to McGee. Tony locked eyes with Ziva, she was curious but she got the message Tony was sending her silently. He would talk to her later about whatever it was he had to do. She gave him a small private smile before following McGee to the elevator.

McGee entered the elevator and was followed close behind by Ziva. For a moment he thought Tony had changed his mind about staying back and had followed them into the elevator, he was sure he could smell that sent that was simply Tony and the aftershave or cologne or whatever it was he used. Turning his head to the side he only found Ziva there. He found it strange. Further more when he could still smell Tony the whole ride down to the lobby.

He passed it off as the fact it had been cold in Alaska and Ziva was probably hit by the cold harder then Tony was because of where she was brought up. And McGee knew Tony was a gentleman when it concerned a woman and it wasn't strange for Tony to offer Ziva his coat, he had done it before. That must have been the explanation to all of this because Ziva was the one who carried his sent. He was sure of it.

"Enjoy your date" Ziva said, bringing him out of his thoughts.

"Thank you, see you in the morning" McGee replied as they walked out the front door to the parking lot.

"Goodnight Tim" Ziva said before she headed down to her car. He hadn't really noticed it until right now, but for some reason Tony and Ziva always parked next to each other. He guessed that was just normal too, they had always been close. Being partners with someone for six years with the history they had would definitely make you close. And it was just parking anyways.

* * *

><p>She was curled up on her couch in her sweatpants and a t-shirt with a hot cup of tea watching one of <em>his <em>movies she had stowed away in her bookshelf when she heard the knock at the door. She knew who it was, she was only expecting one person. She put her tea down on the coffee table and made her way to the door. When she opened it she found exactly who she was expecting, her partner.

He looked slightly drained, like he needed his rest, which he did. He hadn't slept on the plane ride back, something she was grateful for. There was a mixture of happiness and heartache underneath that tired look. She wondered what had held him back at work, it looked important to him, it looked as though it had troubled him somewhat as well.

"Hey" he said quietly, giving her a small smile.

"Hey" she smiled back. She knew that something was on his mind, the something he would tell her shortly. She reached out her hand and gathered his in hers, gently pulling him inside her apartment. He shed his jacket and his shoes before making a beeline for her couch as he loosened his tie. She followed him and they both took a seat on her couch, the way he sat was tired and heavier then her controlled one.

She moved over closer to him so she was at his side and she brought her hand up to brush his unruly hair back. He had obviously been running his hands through it.

"Are you ok?" she asked quietly, trying to broach what was on his mind. He nodded into her hand and leant down more into her couch. It amazed her how bad his posture could be a lot of the time.

"Yeah, I'm ok" he replied, finally turning his head to the side and making full eye contact with her. She continued to run her hand through the side of his hair.

"Did you find out some bad news?" she asked. She wasn't sure what was on his mind right now.

"No, actually it was good news" he stated, a small smile showing on his lips.

"Yeah?" she replied.

"Yeah, my dad, he ahh, he's going to go see a therapist. He has his first session tomorrow" he announced. So it was good news, she wondered why he seemed down, slightly upset.

"That is very good news then. You are proud of him?" she asked. He nodded at her and she comfortably went with him when he softly pulled her legs up to lay across his lap. Placing his hand on her thigh softly.

"Proud for once in my life that he has listened to what I have said" Tony whispered, looking down at her. She realized why he was upset now. His troubles with his father had caused a lot of strain on him over the years. Tony had tried to help, tried to tell his father that what he was doing wasn't right, that he should stop. She knew his father never listened to what he had to say, he was junior, not senior. Senior knew what he was doing and didn't need junior's help.

This would have been troubling Tony. She knew he was happy that his father was changing but the past of how his father _was_ still got to him sometimes. It was right now.

"At least he is making right what he did wrong, he is trying" she pointed out. Her father had done the exact same thing when he had been to DC, trying to mend the past, the broken relationship.

"Yeah, I guess at some point in their lives fathers seem to try mending the past that they did wrong, huh?" Tony stated. She knew that he wasn't just talking about his own father. He must have known she had thought back to her experience with her father.

"I think there is a time where they realize they have done wrong, but are willing to fix what they did in the past for a better future, yes?" she said. Again he nodded. He leant back and pulled her closer. She rested her head against his shoulder and played with his loose tie.

"Sometimes I wonder how I would have turned out if I had a normal family, a mother and a father both there for me, you know?" he said quietly. His hand ran soft patterns on her back while the other one did on her thigh, it was very relaxing to say the least.

"Yes, I do know what you mean, it would have been nice" she replied. It was funny if she thought about it that they both had the same problem, no mother around and a father who cared more for their work then their child. Ziva's was only slightly different by the fact her father pushed her into his work and Tony's father pushed him away.

"But I guess how we had it ended us here where we are today" he said. That was true. If they had a normal childhood they would probably never have met. Never fallen in love.

"I am grateful for where I am today, no matter how my childhood was it ended me here. I love where I am, who I am today. I wouldn't change a thing" she whispered.

"Me too, otherwise I would have never met Ducky, Gibbs, Tim, Abby, Palmer, and _you_. You I am the most grateful for in my life" he replied. She moved on his chest, lifting her head to meet his eyes. There was a real softness to them that made her heart tighten in her chest and make her feel all warm inside from her head to her toes. He brought his hand up to the side of her face and brushed her curls back. She then realized his eyes had gone slightly glassy. Tears had filled his eyes and it made hers do much the same thing seeing that. The raw emotion on his face.

"I love you Ziva" he whispered. Her heart was beating so fast she thought it would burst into a million pieces. There was hope in his eyes, and love. She realized then that she was something he didn't want to lose, she was a part of his other family that he couldn't let go of, couldn't be without. _He couldn't live without her_. Again his words rung clear in her mind. And really she felt exactly the same way. There was no one else that meant as much as he did to her, she needed that part of him in her life. She really couldn't do without him.

"I love you too Tony" she returned right back. God, how many years had she known that but wasn't able to admit it to him?

He brought his lips down to hers in the softest kiss and most loving thing she had ever shared with another. In this moment the past is not what they would linger on, right now was the beginning of their future together. The beginning of their own little family, a loving one that could make up for the broken families they had grown up with. Even if it was only the two of them, for now. Who knows, maybe there might be another addition to their little family in the long run. But that was still quite a few years to come. And they would do everything until their last given breath to hold onto the other with as much strength and love as they could.

No matter what their parents had done, they were going to do this right. Their partnership, it was for life. It was unbreakable. It was loving. It had been inevitable.

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><p><strong>I hope you liked the ending to this one. <strong>

**Thank you all so very much for reading this story, leaving reviews and adding this to your favourites. I am very happy with how much a lot of you enjoyed this and I will be working away in my spare time to keep writing His Girl and bring you another story as soon as I can :)**

**Hundan **


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